What's it all been about, Alfie?

#082 - 1968 Tour of Morocco

2008-03-21T21:04:00.000Z

I had two invitations from the BCF early in 1968 to manage the team, one for the Tour Of Morocco and one for the Peace Race, Berlin-Prague-Warsaw. The team for the Moroccan tour was

Geoff Wiles,
Brian Jolly,
Dave Nie
Andy McGee.
Pete Smith

Masseur would again be Neil Walsh, my mate Bert Humphreys was coming as mechanic. Early in March we arranged a training weekend in the Lake District, Geoff Wiles came up from Kent and stayed with us at Toton.

1968 - Brian Jolly, Pete Smith, Geoff Wiles, Alf, Dave Nie and Andy McGee

On the Saturday Geoff and I set off and picked up Pete Smith and Brian Jolly who had been in a race at Newark, then on to the Lakes where we were staying with Mrs Edmondson at Wolloway Farm, near Penrith. Neil Walsh and Andy McGee joined us from Glasgow. Mrs Edmondson welcomed us with a drink of wine whereupon Neil produced a bottle of Scotch for the lady and himself (Mrs Edmondson was a native of Arbroath) Neil poured her a large ‘noggin’ she asked should she put anything in it, No said Neil just put your finger in it. We had dinner at a local hotel called the “Sportsman” taking Patsy, Mrs. Edmondson’s daughter and her friend Mary with us.

We had entered in the “Red Rose” Grand Prix” starting at Maryport the next day, the course took us round part of the Lake District and the team pulverised the opposition by taking all four places. We returned to Wolloway for a mid-day meal, but on our way back from Maryport the 1800 Austin blew its top hose. We could not get a replacement anywhere, we did a temporary repair, Alf Edmondson gave us a 5 gallon can of water, and we stopped religiously every 20 mile to top up the radiator and limped back to Long Eaton. Still - we had a good weekend getting to know each other.

The details of the race were late coming, to speed matters up I rang the Moroccan Federation, I got the phone operator to interpret for me, and she informed me that tickets and all information were waiting for us at Charles de Gaulle Airport. As the race was due to start in a weeks time I rang all the lads, Neil and Bert, then I rang the BCF, they had known all along that our documentation was at Charles de Gaulle Airport but had forgotten to tell us! (after all, we were only riding in the race).

The BCF arranged flights to Paris where we joined up with the rest of the international crowd. The charter plane was late getting in to Casablanca, after customs we were herded in to two coaches, accommodation had only been arranged for 4 teams and so the French, Belgian, Russian and DDR teams were dropped off at the swank Atlantic Hotel, our coach then went round hotels in Casablanca to try and get accommodation for us, the Poles and Yugoslavians, eventually finishing up in a Arab Hotel near the Kasbah, a good start we thought. However this hotel turned out to be very clean, the food was good and they found a nice bright room for Bert to work on the bikes.

The race authorities came round to see us, saying they had found another hotel for us, we liked it at this Arab Hotel and the three teams elected to stay there. A young Arab lady was in charge of the hotel and she spoke impeccable English (it appeared she had been on a student exchange visit to Llanidloes in Wales and had been treated very kindly by the family she was boarded with) she reciprocated this kindness by helping us. First she asked to see the route the race was to take, on looking at it she stated that food would be in short supply especially in the mountain region. She advised us to buy tinned chicken, cheese, jam and tinned fruit, this we did and by God was she proved right. An amusing incident happened before the start, we all went to the bank to change money, we all changed £20 (as we were in Morocco nearly four weeks) except for Andy McGee the Scotsman – first at the counter he said much to our mirth that he had better change a lot whereupon he changed £5, this was to last him a month.

We were introduced to our Arab driver, he was a royal looking Toureg, six feet tall with flashing eyes, every inch a gentleman. He had a Peugeot 404 Diesel - ideal for Moroccan highways, which we would discover later. Just before we left our hotel to go down to the start, an Englishman came to see us, he had been unable to find us before because we were in the Arab hotel. His name was Mr. Frank Barber OBE. Legion d’ Honour, (Italian) and he was a prominent local business man with an export/import and insurance company, he spoke fluent French and Arabic.

He had been awarded these prestigious decorations for helping the then recent disaster that had struck the ‘Lacania’ – the liner had caught fire near the Gibraltar Straits, the survivors being landed at Casablanca. Frank had arranged for passports and clothing at his own expense, for both Italian and English passengers.

We were the first British sportsmen to compete in Morocco and Frank was eager to introduce himself and make our acquaintance. We arranged to see him on our return to Casablanca in fourteen days time.

#082 - 1968 - Peace Race

2008-03-21T21:02:00.001Z

Geoff Wiles
Brian Jolly
Pete Smith
Owen Davies
Andy McGhee
Roy Cromack

We duly left for Berlin for the Peace Race, Neil Walsh joining Bert and I. What a change we could see in Neil, he was almost an alcoholic, sad to see. The accommodation in Berlin was in the 1936 Olympic Games Village, and quite good. The team met and sorted out the menus for the next fortnight or so, I kept the ticket books to present to the waiters (see previous years). My heart was not in this race, Geoff was a bit down due to his non-selection for the Olympics, and the team had somehow lost their Moroccan edge. Due to our success in Morocco we were feted by the TV, radio and press. But this time we did not live up to our previous successes.

We were given a rousing welcome at Schonefeldt airport at Berlin, non other than Tave Schur headed the party, he had a long chat with Geoff. The race started in a large football stadium in East Berlin (the 1936 Olympic Stadium is in West Berlin) the race route was out to Frankfurt-on-Oder and returning to Berlin to finish in the stadium. Disaster hit us on the first day Pete Smith, touching a wheel in the big bunch sprint, fell breaking his collar bone. A night in hospital for Peter, he was flown home the next day. We hoped for better in the next stage which was from Berlin to Halle, 189km. All the team rode well Brian and Geoff finishing in the first twenty , putting them in the prizes. Doctor Mirek Slavic made his nightly visit checking up on our team, he had become a great friend of ours.

Halle to Suhl was the next stage 194km, Suhl was a new town to me. All the team finished in the main bunch, the Germans were doing well, their Klaus Ampler was leading on General Class, Frenchman Duchemin (one of our old pals from Morocco) was second and France led the team competition. Bert had settled down well doing the bikes, we had again been given tyres by the Czech Barum Co, these were very well received. We gave the Barum rep a bottle of Scotch as small recompense. Whilst on the subject of bike mechanics Holdsworth had given us twelve new chains and freewheels which Bert fitted before the start. Rica, through Kathleen, supplied us with Radium massage cream, Iodine oil and of course their “Super Plenamin” multi-vite tablets, and also we had the now famous and much acclaimed Siopel Cream for ‘bums’.

The next two stages were split, everybody hates these, the first part was an individual Time Trial of 30km from Halle-Ilmenau, the weather which had been good changed for the worse - it poured with rain and another disaster hit us which very nearly had Bert and I in tears. The new chains that had so kindly been given by Holdsworthy seized up in the rain, every time any pressure was put on the pedals the chain jumped a few teeth. You can imagine how our riders felt. At the end of the split stage Bert and I contacted our mates the Rumanians, we managed to get eight Brampton chains from them in exchange for our Dunlop brass double acting pump. We changed all the chains in between the two events.

The next stage was 170km long from Ilmenau to Aue, the lads were overjoyed with our competence to get the chains, but they had no idea the relief it gave Bert and I. As in the previous year we stayed again at the hospital in Aue, but in twelve months it had been changed to a luxury hotel, ideal for the ‘rest day’ that followed. After a short ride in the morning we were entertained by the staff of an engineering works, relaxed all our worries disappeared. Neil was doing an excellent job as masseur, a bottle of brandy keeping him going, he had a real good time at the engineering offices, introducing himself as “Walsh of Glasgow”.

The fifth stage took us back to our favourite city Prague, again staying at the ‘Hotel International’ facilities there are excellent, with a good, heated, well lit room for the bikes (although by now Bert brought along his own inspection lamp). Prior to this however on passing through Karlovy Vary Brian Jolly was involved in a “pile up”, he was so badly hurt the first aid people put him in ambulance, but after they had bandaged him up he fought his way out of the ambulance, demanded his bike from the back of our car and started the chase back, we decided to let Brian ride at his own pace until he recovered before we sent anyone back to help him and we followed him in the team car till we were certain that he was alright. He gallantly finished the stage riding 50km on his own until we fetched Geoff Wiles back to help him, what a courageous ride that was, he received the meritorious award for his bravery.

1968 - Stage 5 Brian Jolly crashes and gallanty continues the race

Four days in Germany had come to an end, we were now looking forward to four days in Czechoslovakia where historically British teams had fared well. Sixth stage Prague-Hradek Kralove (of Graham Greene fame) was only 145km - I thought the hills might suit our team but we all finished in the main group. The Czechs were coming to the fore now they were on home ground, Dolezel and Konecny doing well, but the DDR team were winning with Klaus Ampler and Peschell in good form, Huster and Mickein backing them up. Our ‘team mates’ the Swedes were having trouble with their Kurt Sauderland and Joe Ripsel struggling. Our other friends from Morocco weren’t doing too bad Morciano, (he did not go to Morocco as his five team mates did) winning a stage.

Stage seven came along and this was a circuit road race starting and finishing at Hradec Kralove 119km a big bunch contested the finish, our team were all there, nice to get back to same hotel not so much hustle. Good food and comfortable lodge here at Hradek Kralove. A short ride in a coach the next day for the start at Vamberk going towards the industrial part of Czechoslovakia to the large city of Gottwaldof finishing the suburb Octrovice .We had good accommodation at Gottwaldof, food also was first class, mechanic and masseur facilities were also of the best, Czechoslovakia always in front on the course.

We were still only just scratching the service as regards prize money, but at least the team were all finishing the stages. Rest day beckoned at Karvina going from the large city of Gottwaldow to reach there. All the team again finished although Andy McGee was well down. I helped Bert to do the bikes the night before the rest day so he could relax and have a lie in. We all went a little ride in the morning, just enough to stretch the riders legs, returning then for a light massage and lunch. In the afternoon we were collected in a coach and taken to a coal mine, where we were handed boiler suits and headlamps and down the mine we went.

Living near Nottingham and Derby – in coalmine country - you would have thought that at least Bert and I would have been down a mine, but no this was our first. It was quite interesting, we came up and had baths in the super pit head facilities, then we were entertained by the office staff, Bert who was very shy at the best of times ‘fell’ for a school teacher, we were not to see him till very late that night. We all enjoyed the meal and wine there, again taking our minds from the hard race.

In to Poland the next day to the coalmining city of Katowice from Karvina in Czechoslovakia, the race finished in the marvellous stadium which in 1955 was just a heap of cinders. Now there was a theme park and an overhead railway which seemed to run for miles, the transformation from 1955 was hard to believe. Good facilities (for Poland) were had, the lads were still there but winning little in prize money. The eleventh stage next day took us to the ancient walled City of Krakow 123km, this stage being relevantly short, finished with fast bunch sprint, and all our riders finished OK.

From Krakow on the twelfth stage we went north to Rzeszow, (we were there in 1962 with the Tour of Poland team). I cannot remember any happenings at this place, but the next stage was Rzeszow to the eastern Polish city of Lublin 192km, again memories came back of my being taken to that horrific concentration camp at nearby Medanek in 1962. We had a nice hotel here, better than 1962, and the food was good too, and all the team finished once more.

The final day at last arrived and we were all ready for it, the stage today was split into two, the first part being a 49km Time Trial, Roy Cromack excelled himself in this finishing in the first ten, the last stage in the afternoon to Warsaw was from Radum only 123km finishing in the magnificent stadium on the other side of the river Vistula at Praga. The winner this year was Axel Peschel (DDR) from Karel Vavra (CSSR) and 3rd was Jan Magiera (Poland). Poland succeeded in taking the Team prize.

As before the washing was done by the race laundry and I had told the lads not to put any wool clothing in the wash. Roy Cromack unfortunately put in an expensive wool jersey and much to everyone’s amusement it came back to fit a five year old kid, he was livid. The prize giving and dinner at the Hotel Warsaw was a tame affair for us, the lads were a bit down not having won much. I did assure them that they had done well to finish at all, but we all had a merry time until the early hours with a little help from Hungarian champagne. We flew home to Heathrow the next day. So ended my eighth and last Peace Race.

A lasting memory for me on the 1968 Peace race was the new freedom, which unfortunately was not to last long for Premier Dubcek’s Czechoslovakia, what a difference the lack of Communism had made, we were all disappointed when the Russians invaded from Kosice where we had been in 1957 - a sad time for them all.

#081 - 1967 - Scottish Milk Race

2008-03-21T21:01:00.003Z

I found it hard to settle down to normal life after being away for so long, but seeing Kathleen again was a real bonus, and not able to see each other as often as we would like – the telephone became our life line. Honda motorcycles were selling well especially the smaller machines; Triumph, BSA and Norton were holding their own in the larger class and a possible reason may have been that they were doing well on the race tracks with a new Triumph 3 cylinder called ‘Trident’ and BSA ‘Rocket 3’, they did not hold this position long though because Yamaha produced a water cooled 350cc twin with transistor ignition, which when ridden by the great Finnish rider Yano Saurian was unbeatable on most circuits.

The organiser of the Scottish Milk race, Len Rankin, had been over for the first four days of the Peace race (Czech section) to get idea’s for the smooth running of his race, we got to know each other quite well and he gave me an invitation to do the “Blackboard” job in his forthcoming July event, he said he would write me on his return to Paisley in Scotland. I dismissed the thought but sure enough on my return to Long Eaton there was the invitation. Len also required a further motorcycle marshal and a general race mechanic.

Late July and the Scottish Milk race soon came along, I had asked my head motorcycle mechanic Robert Sandford to go as the additional race marshal that Len required, and invited a local journalist/cyclist Andy Marshall for the race mechanic job, (he was practising changing wheels for weeks, but little did he know what an exacting job he had undertaken). The race - a four day event - started on a Thursday. We had in the shop a BSA A65 twin carb ‘Lightening’ model with the new 12v alternator system, which we had just taken in part-exchange and I could use and Andy came on the pillion with me whilst Robert rode a Triumph he had borrowed from a pal of his. We left Long Eaton early Wednesday morning, Robert then lived in Bonsall Street, Long Eaton. Andy and I called for him, we had discussed the route to take the night before, (the M1 only being built as far as Alfreton), we then joined the A1 near Retford, up to Scotch corner, over the Pennines on the A66 to Penrith, Carlisle and so on the A74 to Glasgow. We were stopping at the YMCA near the station in Glasgow.

Robert in his wisdom shot off and left us on the M1 - we were not see him again until later that night when my brother brought him up in our Ford van! It appeared he got lost near Mansfield, he waited for us but we had taken the arranged route. Unfortunately for him he blew the motor up on his Triumph and had to ring our shop for someone to fetch him in. On his return to the shop he stripped the Triumph down and fitted a service exchange cylinder with o/s pistons, two new inlet valves etc. He did well in the time he had and was brought up to Glasgow in the van by Ernie arriving at 9.30 p.m. Ernie had a quick meal then returned back to Long Eaton.

The Scottish Cycling Union had a meeting in the YMCA the evening before the start, we found that there would be only one more race marshal who would arrive the next morning. Robert and I were novices for the big ‘job’ we had volunteered for. The ceremonial start of the race left George Square with a police motorcycle escort, they then left us to our own devices at the city limits. Robert and I and this new young man had discussed our tactics when we met up before the start. They were to cover obvious cross roads etc. I worked as an outrider getting traffic past the riders as well as taking time checks. There were no radio equipped team cars, so I worked hard to give each team car information on my blackboard. Usually the ‘blackboard’ man rides pillion on a motorcycle, but John Cooper a joiner friend of mine had made the blackboard to be held on my back with a single elastic luggage strap captured at one end, with a open hook at the other, enabling me to do the job solo.

This first stage went from Glasgow to Arbroath via Aberfoyle, Dukes Pass - quite a hill, then across to the east coast to finish on the seafront. The Dutch national team were very prominent (they were to win a gold medal the following year at Tokyo Olympics in 1968) Rene Pignen winning the stage. Andy Marshall had performed very well in the general service team car. He was complimented by the race director, a Pole from the Peace Race and I and the two marshals were also complimented on our particular jobs. The communal evening meal was a great success and our accommodation in a council flat with a young couple was excellent. We joined the early morning “routers” for a drink after dinner, we did this every day because without these gentlemen, who positioned the directional arrows, we as marshals would be lost.

This was the first stage race where I was free to walk the town in the evening, having on all previous tours been a hard working mechanic. My friends the Belgian, Dutch and French mechanics were on the race and I went along to see them, they were envious of my new job, but they could not say anything detrimental as I had done their type of work for some twelve years.

The next day was a long stage from Arbroath to Aberdeen via the toll-bridge at Dundee. We had trouble with the bridge toll-collectors here, they wanted to stop the race to collect fees from the competitors (all following cars and motorcyclists were issued with the correct toll money by Len Rankin before the start) the queue to pay caused a bit of bother for us but we did get the riders through without hold-up. To rousing cheers we passed through Aberdeen city centre to finish on the northern esplanade. I cannot remember the stage winner but the Dutchman was still leading overall. Accommodation for the riders was at the University, the communal meal and accommodation for officials and us was at the magnificent “Tree Tops Hotel” easily the best on the tour.

Friday morning saw the race moving south to Edinburgh, a tough hilly stage passing through Banchory to Ballater, Blairgowie to Perth then down the very busy A9. Our two marshals had quite a job on. I also had difficulty getting heavy traffic to pass the main group, and especially marshalling cars etc past any breakaway groups. It was more important to keep the traffic down at the rear of the break as any chasers could latch on to the cars.

Between Perth and Edinburgh and ‘off the back’ I came across the race leader, Rene Pignen, on his own and on an unfamiliar bike, Rene speaks English very well and he told me that he had crashed and a bystander had handed him this bike, only two gears worked and he was losing time. Against all rules I pushed him up to the tail end bunch team cars, then rode up to his Dutch car and explained to the manager where Rene was. They stopped and gave him a team bike (I was not to know that he would win the stage).

On approaching the Forth Bridge I went ahead to the other side and there at the island stood two police motorcyclists, I stopped to discuss the race’s progress through Edinburgh and they said that they had been told the race finished at the Forth Bridge! According to the race manual the event finished at the site of the new stadium for the 1970 Commonwealth Games which was under construction. Good job that I had gone ahead of the race and was able to put them wise! These two policeman were terrific, they said ‘leave it to us’ -, meanwhile a break by Billy Bilsland and Rene Pignen had occurred with the main group in hot pursuit, we careered along the Edinburgh main road with these two mad coppers stopping all the traffic and shutting off the traffic lights they were absolutely wonderful. Our two marshals helped and I stopped traffic coming towards the race. The finish was hilarious, the riders had to bump up a kerb and finish in the middle of a building site, chaos reigned when the main bunch arrived. Rene Pignen beat Billy Bilsland in the sprint and held on to his yellow jersey. We all stayed at the University at Pollock Halls, where we had dinner too. Rene came over to thank me for helping him, he eventually won the race. (After the Tokyo Olympics he turned professional and became a prolific six-day bike rider) His team mate Zoop Zoutemelk also won gold in Tokyo and was to win the “Tour de France in the future.

The next stage started in Princess St, processional until we hit the de-regulation speed sign on the outskirts of Edinburgh. The two Scottish policemen were there again, we had chatted with them the night before, the race organiser inviting them to the Dinner and Prize presentation, Len mentioning them in his speech. These traffic policeman were very interested in my BSA ‘Lightening’, they were on BSA’s but when their radio was in operation neither the lights nor the horn worked, they had noticed that my horn and lights were brilliant. I explained to them that my bike had a 12volt alternator fitted whereas they only had six volt. They challenged me to a race to the official start and we were doing nearly 90mph on the main road out of Edinburgh, they were great men. (We were to meet them in several races in Scotland in the future, and as a result of my bike demo, the Scottish Police Authority ordered new BSA motorcycles).

We left Edinburgh en route for Dumfries via Biggar to Moffat and through Lockerbie lovely country. I do not remember any major happenings on the way to Dumfries, apart from a breakaway that had over ten minutes, and I had a job with time checks and traffic. The race finished on the quayside with many twists before the finish, our two marshal’s did a great job there.

The dinner in the evening was taken in two sittings as no place in Dumfries was big enough to feed the whole race. Riders were fed first, then the officials. The venue was a restaurant above a cinema, we had come on our bikes as the accommodation was quite a good way off. A queue had formed on the top of the stairs, when one bright spark said quite casually “there’s a motor bike on fire down there” – Robert’s dual seat had slipped down causing the battery to short - hence the fire, he soon rushed down and sorted things out with no damage.

It was a lovely evening so after dinner we sauntered down the road to view Robby Burns cottage, quite interesting. There were two Milk race girls on the race doing a PR job, Rene Pignen fell for one and they eventually married after his return from Tokyo. Doug Dailey courted the other one for some time, (talk about romance on Tour).

The final day arrived, the race route passing through New Galloway and its (then) coal mines to Dalmellington finishing on the sea front at Ayr. The prize giving and dinner was held at the Ice Rink, we three motor bike men and Andy were given a standing ovation. We did not stay in Ayr but decided to start our journey home, we stayed at Mrs Edmondson’s at Penruddock in the Lake District, then a nice steady ride home on the Sunday.

We, Robert and I were back at work Monday, a big rush was on because this was the first time that new registration numbers came out on August 1st luckily we had sold a lot of new bikes. Kathleen and family were on holiday in Cornwall it was lovely to see her when they came home some ten days later with a magnificent tan, she looked super.

Late in 1967 my brother-in-law Keith came round to our Toton house about 2 pm, he wanted me to play football for a team he had challenged but he was three men short. Owing to my clubfeet I had never played football but he had seen me playing five-a-side in the gym. After much persuading I succumbed and played centre forward. My right foot is turned outwards due to many operations, but I could kick with the inside of this foot quite accurately and hard, so long as the ball came to me directly about a yard in front I could shoot, I scored three goals. I played for four years after that and practised shooting at a wall with both feet, also trained in dribbling skills. I quite enjoyed it until I damaged my knee again, that put paid to that.

#080 - 1967 - Peace Race

2008-03-21T21:00:00.001Z

On our arrival in Warsaw we were met by Ian Steel , he soon made it clear that from now on he was in charge. I gave him the baggage and bike dockets and left him to it. On the bus trip to the hotel we were miserable, our team spirit had disappeared. We arrived at the now familiar (to me) Hotel Warsaw to find that Ian had lost three cases. Ironically we had travelled from London in all sorts of transport and lost none. After a search round the hotel I found them. A meal was ready for us, a communal effort with all teams in this large dining hall. It was in this hall that I heard the dreadful news that my Czech mate Milan had died and also my Russian friend Sevette, to compound my grief I also learned that ‘our’ German driver had suffered a fatal heart attack the previous week and had died in Frankfurt on Oder. I went alone to my mechanics room and quietly wept.

1967 Peace Race Leipzig Stadium

I very soon settled down to race routine, sorting out the menus with Ian and getting him integrated in to the great team we had, however this proved difficult as at a meeting with the riders it was decided to share any monies won, but Ian who was in demand (owing to his 1952 Peace Race win) did not share his T.V. and radio appearance monies with the team. I suppose we were fed up of hearing about 1952 - it was brought up with every meal, Ian’s success was a great achievement but it got a bit much after a while. I should have taken him on one side and asked him to tone it down a bit. But as we entered another country the whole rigmarole started again. He had of course deserved the adulation.

1967 Peace race, Billy Bilsland enters the Liberec Stadium with a lap to go

Unfortunately I kept no record of the route taken in this 1967 Prague-Berlin-Warsaw. The team rode well, quite a few days finishing in the first twenty (prizes were awarded from 1st to 20th place). The highlight for the team was Billy Bilsland beating the great Russian rider Saidchushin (overall winner 1962). Billy beat him in a two-up sprint in the huge stadium at Liberec Czechoslovakia. The hilly terrain suited our ride, but the weather was shocking, it rained all day. The rest of the lads finished well up and we won the Team award for the day. (a large cut glass flower vase which they presented to me). Neil was doing his usual great job in the massage room. We did not see a lot of Ian, he was with the UCI people.

1967 Peace race, Billy Bilsland receives the laurels

The race finished in Prague and Ian got really drunk at the final dinner, he mislaid his prizes too and never did find them. The only other thing remembered about our return to Heathrow, was we were met by several of the boys wives or rather at that time girl friends, journalists and BCF President. We collected our bikes and luggage at South Kensington air terminus, then as we had done in Paris we bundled Neil Walsh in to a taxi and we had a race to St. Pancras station - I won the sprint up the hill to the entrance of the station (Neil had done a “job” on my feet, I was walking on air, his occupation in Glasgow as well as masseur was Chiropody). We had already said our goodbyes to Geoff Wiles who lived in Kent and Dave Mitchell left us to go to Euston Station. Roy Hempsall Danny Horton ,Billy Bilsland, Neil Walsh and I were on the same train. Alan Lloyd had ‘packed’ in Poland saying that he was a little boy in a mans race. The break up of this team was sadder than usual as we had been together for almost seven weeks .

#079 - 1967 - Circuit of Sarthe

2008-03-21T20:48:00.001Z

1967 - and I had been 13 years on stage races, World Championships and Olympic games trips seemed to be reserved for top men on the BCF Committee. The familiar brown envelope containing International cycling invitation duly arrived. This time the invite was for two events. The first one was in France to be held in late April this was to be the famous “Circuit of Sarthe” following which we would fly direct from Le Bourget, Paris to Warsaw. I had to give this invitation a great deal thought as we would be away about a month. After much sole searching and with the help of Ernie, it was decided I could go. Then came details which almost caused me to cancel - I was to be team manager and mechanic in France, with Neil Walsh from Glasgow as masseur. But on arrival in Warsaw for the Peace Race I would revert to mechanic with 1952 Peace Race winner, Ian Steel flying in to take over management. After much recrimination I decided to go, at least I would manage one team.

The team selected was:

Bill Bilsland
Danny Horton
Alan Lloyd
Dave Mitchell
Geoff Wiles
Roy Hempsall

A good young team with a fair amount of stage race experience in the ‘Milk Race’. My - by now - standard letter regarding their equipment was sent, but this time – in my managerial role - had advise on what should be included in their own personal kit, Kathleen helped me by writing to Ryka Ltd of Loughborough who kindly agreed to donate Super Plenamin multi-vitamin tablets, Radium massage cream, and Crookes Iodine Oil for wet weather. (This firm was to supply us with these same items for every tour I was to manage in the future. For African countries they also recommended a medication for use in the event of diarrhoea). This firm was very helpful indeed and Kathleen, now involved with my preparation to go away, would drive to the factory and collect the carton for me. We also had help with equipment from Holdsworth and Ron Kitching. (we never forgot their kindness and always sent an autographed card from the races we were on).

We met up first at BCF London headquarters, then we bundled Neil Walsh in to a taxi to take him, with our baggage, to Victoria station en route for Southampton and the boat to Le Havre, we rode our bikes to Victoria station. We had a good laugh in the canteen, Neil Walsh being a super comedian and I could see we had the makings of a great team here - something I had missed since Stan Brittain days. We made it to the boat OK, I had the tickets for all of us, a pile about 3” deep, good job I had bought my brief case (a present from my first Peace race). I had in my safe keeping –

8 train tickets from Victoria to Southampton,
8 boat and berth tickets from Southampton to Le Havre,
8 train tickets from Le Havre to Le Mans inward.
8 train outward tickets from Sable to Paris
8 air tickets to Warsaw.

A Frenchman met us off the train at Le Mans and took us all in his van to Chartres were the race was to start on the next day. The entry for this event was tough for us, mostly French professional teams and one other amateur team from Norway. First day was a circuit round Chartres and Alan Lloyd won 3rd prize, a very good effort. The rest of our team were together in the next group.

The Team knitted well in this very tough Pro/Am “Circuit Sarthe”, we did not pull any trees up but as amateurs we acquitted ourselves very well. We did win a fair amount of francs, and it was fortunate that we did as the expenses given me by the BCF in no way covered our food etc. The race finished at Noyen s Sarthe a beautiful spot. We were billeted at the Chateau Verdrelle, an old building on the bank of the River Sartre but in its own large grounds with a drive up to the front doors.

We were slightly overawed at the magnitude of this historic chateau. The owner, Madame Tercinier showed us to our quarters and they were luxurious, she being kindness itself. We were directed to the large dining room which had been set for dinner with silver cutlery, red and white wine, gold cutlery stands to use between courses. Danny was given the bridal suite complete with four poster bed! Before dinner the team had a bath in pairs because dinner was ready and this would save time – we thought! Unfortunately the bath had no small drain hole near the top so every so often the water overflowed and leaked on the floor. The first indication of this was when Madame Terciniers’ niece ran up stairs grabbed me by the arm, her limited English failing her, and took me in to the dining room and pointed to a big stain that was appearing on the ceiling, I ran back up stairs and put right the problem. (Some years later when taking Kathleen on a visit, and later with David and Alan, the stain had been left - all the rest had been decorated. Written on the stain was “Equipe Angletterre Cycliste” Tour Circuit Sarthe 1967, - fame at last).

We were treated like royalty at the Chateau, food etc first class, the race organisation had paid for our two days accommodation there, and as we had 5 training days before we left for Warsaw with no arrangements for lodgings made, we decided to stay on at the Chateau. Once the local cycling bodies knew we were at the Chateau, they arranged for us to ride in their annual “Victory in Europe” celebration events, they provided a van for the bikes and cars for the riders, Neil and I. Danny Horton won all four of these events with rest of the team well up, we won quite a lot of money which came in very handy to pay for our stay at the Chateau.

After a race one day we arrived back at the Chateau to find Madame Tercinier and her lovely 19 year old niece trying to wallpaper the bridal suite ceiling, we took over and they were delighted to let us as they had difficulty in moving the heavy furniture. It was hilarious, and I’m surprised anything got done. Alan Lloyd said he would write to the BCF on his return to state that all issue track suits should have pockets in the front to hold wallpaper brushes. We could hardly work for laughing but the finished job looked good.

Meanwhile Neil Walsh and I had formed a terrific relationship, everything was carried out with no fuss or bother. Madame took us all to the Motor Museum at Le Mans and afterwards drove us round the circuit of the famous 24 hour event in her big Citroen car, we felt as if we were in the race. Eventually came the day of our departure from Noyan, but before we left the Chateau Madame Tercrinier produced a big heavy book, in it she wished us to sign our autographs which we did, we looked through this book and found that General De Gaulle and Marshall Leclerc had stayed there and some years before that Napoleon Bonaparte, we were suitably honoured.

And so we made our tearful goodbye to Madame Tercinier and her niece Geraldine (when David and I visited the family in 1982, I was to speak to Geraldine on the phone, now married and living in Rouen, she was overjoyed that we had not forgotten her - how could we anyway). Madame Tercinier loaned us her 2Cv van to take the luggage and bikes down to the railway station.

We had not booked our luggage on the train, only registering our bikes because we were getting low on funds, we sat on our luggage in the train corridor which made the ticket collector irate, but we made out that we could not understand him. The BCF had booked us in to a small hotel in Paris. We did our usual, Neil in a taxi with the bags, the rest following on the bikes. The night before our departure from the terminus in Plac de la Concorde, we weighed in our bikes and bags thus saving us time the following morning, we had an early start to catch the metro to Le Bourget for the flight to Warsaw. We boarded an Air France flight which was luxury itself, and were given a very good in-flight meal.

#078 - 1967 - H E Buttler Motorcycles

2008-03-21T20:43:00.001Z

The business expanded its franchise and signed up to sell Yamaha and Suzuki motor cycles, we still stocked all the English models i.e. BSA, Triumph, Ariel, Norton, James Francis Barnett, Royal Enfield and Excelsior motor cycles, but Honda was still our best seller. The English manufacturers had their head in the sand not to realise that these Japanese would put them all out of business by 1971. Two shops opened in Long Eaton in opposition to us, but we seemed to go from strength to strength. One firm advertised in all the local and national press, and customers came from far and wide to their premises for parts which they could not supply, consequently most of these new customers came to our shop. Queues to get in our shop on a Saturday were amazing and this went on most of the day. We had to set on part time staff to cope with helmet and clothing sales and of course spare parts.

We had a peculiar incident happen one year regarding Norton parts. Annually, in early October, the Goose Fair is held in Nottingham and is famous in the Midland area or even further a field. Rides and sideshows there were astonishing (this is before theme parks like Alton Towers were popular). A black leather dressed young man came in the shop who was going to the Fair and he asked to speak to me, he said he could obtain any Norton parts right up to a complete engine at much cheaper prices. I dismissed any thought of buying any as they were obviously stolen. Two days later a detective constable mate of mine Mick Rose, who was with Stolen Vehicles, came in the shop for a chat and in conversation he happened to say he was going down to Norton factory in Andover to investigate theft of complete engines. I told Mick about my conversation with this chap the weekend before, whereupon Mick asked if I would go down with him to Andover and visit the works. It was rumoured that a possible suspect worked on the “track”, perhaps I could recognise the man? Of course I agreed to go with him and we had a pleasant drive down.

We were introduced to the works manager who I had met before when he worked at Triumph, we started to walk round the works and I soon spotted the man in question but of course did not make any comment until we were out of sight. I then pointed the man out to Mick who affronted him – and a confession followed. From there Mick had to report to the Stolen Vehicle Centre at Hendon. It appeared some men were stealing the same mainly luxury class cars three times. They would steal a car, put on false number plates, spray it etc then sell it on. The same car would then be stolen again and the whole procedure repeated. The Insurance Companies lost thousdands of pounds. The Police at Hendon had evolved a plan which they revealed to Mick for him to implement in Nottingham. All top secret cloak and dagger stuff.

The gymnasium was progressing favourably with a good, hard working turnout every week. An ‘over 40’ class was started in the grammar school basketball hall and that was also well attended, it was taken by a schoolmaster pal of mine Duncan Syson. My number one football team, Derby County FC with manager Brian Clough, had won promotion to the 1st Division and on Wednesdays my friend Gordon Woodward, Duncan and I would travel all over the country to the away games - i.e. Chelsea, Tottenham, Arsenal, Newcastle, Sunderland, Sheffield and Leeds. We would pick Duncan up after school at Breaston which meant we did not leave until after 4 p.m. to go to these places, but with the M1 to hand we seldom missed ‘kick-off’.

#077 - 1966 - Peace Race

2008-03-21T20:35:00.000Z

The usual BCF invite came through, I was refused the managers post once more, very disappointing, especially when they chose Bob Maitland whom I had been with to Tunisia in 1960. The team was again young and inexperienced i.e.

Ken Kipping.
Dave Nie,
Ray Barker,
Billy Bilsland,
Barry Lawton
Bill Townsend,

masseur was Dennis Agnew. For once the riders were fitted with the same equipment, I only had to do the usual wheel interchange before the start.

The route was new to me, Prague-Warsaw-Berlin, this year going right up to Northern Poland - Danzig, Gydynia and Stettin all of which were new stage towns to me, food and accommodation in Rostock (north DDR) was in a Seaman’s Hostel and it was absolutely first class. In Berlin too the “Digs” had changed from a poor college to the Hotel Berliner which was a new skyscraper building. I cannot remember much about this particular tour, except Billy Bilsland rode well he being only 19 years old, Ray Barker finished well, Ken Kipping finished although well down, (he had suffered with bronchitis nearly all the race). Barry Lawton in his first International also finished but Dave Nie on his second Peace race retired. Bill Townsend succumbed after the first four days in Czechoslovakia, he was completely out of his depth.

The night the race finished and after our dinner Ray Barker and I decided to go over to look at West Berlin, we were close by Check Point Charlie, the DDR guards were very kind and efficient. When they knew we were on the Peace Race they enquired of the well-being of Stan Brittain, Ian Steel and Bill Bradley, that’s how big the Fridensfaht is in DDR. We crossed the bridge to the American sector and we were treated to some harsh questioning by a young American soldier, he was calling DDR all the names you could think of and I politely asked him if he had visited there and to my amazement he said no. We had a quick look at the shops and returned, quite an experience really.

The race finished in Berlin, the Race Dinner and dance being held in the Sports Halle (Hitler and Goebells made many speeches here). The famous woman pilot Hannah Reitsch flew an early helicopter inside this hall, so you can imagine the size. I was mysteriously presented with a Gold Medal by the President of DDR. – which to this day I don’t know what it was for. During the dance Tave Schur came over with his wife to congratulate me, I was overawed. (Kathleen and I were to meet Tave and family at their home in Magdeburg in 1973), This night at the Sports Halle was the best I ever experienced in Germany, it was wonderful, we danced the night away, Ken Kipping disappeared with his ‘new’ girlfriend and we did not see him until early the next day.

Also staying in the next hotel to us on Frederickstrasse was Ipswich Town F.C., they had just won the 1st Division Championship in England and were celebrating with a ‘footballing holiday’ in DDR. They had played in the stadium where the race had finished the previous day. They were going out that night asking me to meet them at their Bulgarian Hotel, I didn’t have much deutschmarks with me. As I have previously stated - each team member and official is presented with a book containing tickets for meals and dockets for beer. As none of our party had used any of the drinks dockets, I tore them out and they were taken as money for any drinks consumed, naturally I was in good books with the team. It was a treat to meet their chairman Mr. John Cobbold and the players Phillips and Galsworthy etc.

We finished drinking in the hotel and I was about to leave them when they decided we should all go to a night club a few doors away. This turned out to be quite a good place, the interval came along and much to my astonishment when the band retired, some of the Ipswich Town players took their places, accomplished musicians they played ‘Glen Miller music’ and it was terrific. The original band was irate and after a few numbers they were turfed off. I got back to our hotel with half an hour to spare before we caught the plane home. Luckily I had got the bikes and bags already to board the transport for the airport. I saw the bikes on board this snazzy British Airways flight (we were going home via Copenhagen) and I slept all the way to our destination where we changed in to a Pan American “Clipper”. Bob Maitland said I was in no state to check anything and he would take over seeing the baggage and bikes on to the American plane, I could not care less. When we had settled down in the plane the air hostess introduced us as the English Cycling Team arriving from Berlin with such a tone of disdain as though a Communist country had the plague. We arrived at Heathrow O.K. but Bob had lost two bikes, Dave Nie’s and Barry Lawton. It took a fortnight to get them from Copenhagen.

So ended another trip to the “Peace Race” , this being my sixth, but unfortunately the English teams were getting worse the reason being that the best riders were being selected for the British Milk Race, - I said before it is still and honour to finish in this Great Race.

#076 - 1965 - A year at home!

2008-03-21T20:33:00.000Z

For some reason the BCF did not respond to the invitation to ride in the Peace Race This lead me to have full year attending more to the business.

Brother-in-law Keith and I were still doing a little walking. One particular Sunday we decided to climb Bleaklow hill, the summit of which is near Strines Moor and the TV mast at Holme Moss, Carol and young Alan came with us. The day dawned to a cloudless sky and we left Long Eaton early travelling by the beautiful Derwent Dams (the last one to be finished was witnessed by us in 1942). We left our van in a lay-by on Snake Pass, walking up the path the map showed we had to go near a farm. When we meandered near the farm a woman came running out brandishing a pitchfork and mouthing all sorts of oaths at us. It appeared from her “mouthing” that we were on their private road, with difficulty we calmed her down and explained that we had mis-read our map, apologised and asked if we may return by the same path to which she agreed.

The route up Bleaklow follows a stream, several parts of this stream (a raging torrent in winter) have pools forming. At one of these we stopped for our lunch, after which Keith casually remarked to Alan that he wondered how deep this pool was. Alan who had donned his rucksack bent down to look, lost his balance with the weight on his back and promptly fell in. He disappeared, we had no idea of the depth of this pool, but he came up spluttering saying

“By crikey, it’s deep in there, Carol”,

Water was pouring out of him and his mug tied to his rucksack, we were helpless with laughter. We stayed there about an hour swimming in our underpants turned back to front. We eventually carried on to the summit which is all boggy ground, not really worth the effort, on our descent the woman at the farm was very amiable and sold us eggs.

In business discussions with Ernie, we decided that we should enlarge the College Street shop and in particular the sales area. Ernie would take over my house, all the ground floor being absorbed into the shop and the upstairs converted to a quite large (5 bed roomed) flat. We - Jean, Carol and I bought a house in Toton, what a fantastic house it was, we were living away from the business for the first time in years. As well as the new house we bought a Austin 1800 car and a new Ford 15cwt van. In spite of this, relationships at home were not good, we should have been happy but Jean was hard to please and always wanted more. A major problem was my bad time keeping for meals, Jean unable to see that I could not always get away on time, she would have prepared dinner and I was not there to eat it. A prime reason was that the shop not only provided a service, but it was also a meeting place, a social scene and difficult to disperse – the ‘Royal Oak’ public house directly across the road didn’t help either! Jean never took an active roll in the business and rarely visited it, even though my mother lived there.

College Street alterations were going well, although the costs were high and the extra expense caused us to increase our overdraft facilities just at the wrong time, as the bank lending rate was rising. In hindsight we would have been better off taking out a separate loan to pay for the College Street alterations. Trade in the Tamworth Road shop was on the increase, how much easier it would have been if we’d have had one of to-days personal computers and with all the knowledge we have now, it wouldn’t have solved our troubles but they would have been eased).

We must have been feeling well of financially in 1965 for we were to buy a riverside wooden bungalow by the Trent at the rear of the ‘Harrington Pub’, Old Sawley. The bungalow was built and owned by a builder friend of ours, George Leivers. He was asking £500 for it but we got him down to £400 which included a boat. We had some nice times there (the M1 motor way was in the future so it was still quite and peaceful there). I would stay there on my own sometimes and Kathleen, who by now worked at Draycott Hospital about 3 miles away, would join me during her break. Access was by a gate near the Harrington, over the flood bank to enter a field then a track ran across the field for about ¼ mile to our bungalow. One early October night Kathleen came to see me, after ¾ hour she opened the door to leave but a thick, dense fog had descended and even with me walking in front with a torch we could not find our way across the field to the gate for an ½ hour at least. The hectic times we had. (on another occasion after we had met down Whites Lane - a mere track then - Kathleen reversed her car in to the field to go home but neither of us had noticed that the field had been ploughed – her car sank up to the axle ! fortunately I was able to free it by ‘rocking’ the car with the gear box. Kathleen was very impressed and another disaster and possible exposure was averted……)

The 1945 birth rate bulge had now reached the age for us to sell many Honda Motor Cycles, we had set another man on in the office hire purchase forms taking up a lot of my time. Honda also sent their dealers an entry form to fill in what sales of Honda Motor Cycles were sold over a certain period. The top four in Derbyshire were to win trips to Japan, unfortunately our man failed to post off the form, so although we could have won the trip hands down, we lost out. The competition was held early in 1966, Neville Copestake of Derby and Lionel Minion of Derby went and had a very interesting time. I was to go on a trip with them to Majorca and Amsterdam some years later (both Honda Sales Competitions).

#075 - 1964 - Tour of St Lawrence

2008-03-21T20:30:00.000Z

It soon came to late August 1964 and our return trip to Canada. The team had 2 changes - John Geddes and Bill Holmes being replaced by

Arthur Metcalf
Peter Edwards,
Bill Bradley
John Woodburn

Benny Foster was again manager, Bill and Pete were riding for Harry Quinn their equipment therefore identical, John Woodburn’s bike I knew and Arthur Metcalf had similar equipment. The only problem was wheel interchange, I could sort this out in Montreal. We took the same route as the previous year i.e. train and boat to Amsterdam then riding our bikes from Amsterdam to Shcipol Airport. Again we had an uneventful flight but still on a piston type aircraft. This time we landed at Quebec which cut the flight time by about and hour. Huge crowds lined the route to our college, the French Team leading the way with their tricolour proudly flying. This was the time of President De Gaules attempt to get Quebec under French rule. Some weeks later our sovereign Queen visited Quebec and got a cool reception.

1964 Tour St Lawernce (Canada) Alf works on the bikes.

His much admired toolbox and stand clearly shown.

This visit I was prepared and had brought along my English driving license, so all I had to do was collect from Avis Rent-a-Car our allocated vehicle, it was a Buick automatic with press button gear control on the dashboard. The race was due to start some miles east of Quebec, a place on the south side of the St Lawrence called Levis, and we loaded the boot with luggage and the five bikes on the roof rack, the 6 of us piled inside.

“Have you got this gear change off ‘pat’ then?”; asked Bill Bradley I answered in the affirmative. Putting the car in to low gear, we moved off OK, I then did the unpardonable thing - putting my foot on the brake to change up to drive, the car stopped on a sixpence knocking me into the windscreen and everybody else forward, comedian Bill asked if we had stopped! We checked the bikes etc and then continued. On coming up to a crossroads we came across a horrific accident, two cars crashing head on with bodies on the ground and some hanging out of the cars. There was not much conversation from us for many a mile after this, we arrived at Riviere de Loup finding our excellent accommodation in a Catholic College, the food again being first class as it was to be throughout the race.

We had travelled east last night alongside the River Lawrence, crossing to the south side before we left Quebec. The race started heading east the finish in Quebec. A breakaway group of six riders including Kapitanow got way about with 50 mile to go. The marshalling was not too good this first day and the main bunch of which we were part, was sent off course and we finished up on a rough track landing almost in the St. Lawrence River! Riders and team cars hopelessly lost, we were fortunate enough to be brought to a halt outside Vachon Cake factory nearby and the management invited us in for tea & cakes. Benny was furious, he had been negotiating with the other team managers and the UCI officials how to resolve the situation, with the breakaway still forging ahead (as we thought)! We eventually regained the main route but now - to make matters worse - the bedraggled breakaway group was coming towards us!, they had also been sent miles off course. So now the race was stopped again and another meeting ensued, the result of which was to give the breakaway six minutes start before the main group.

It was good to be back at our favourite college in Quebec. We had no problems with the bikes generally, I was pleased the lads came down to chat when I was doing the bikes, we had a good laugh especially with John who had a hilarious tale to tell regarding two of his club mates.

One was married, the other a single lad who had just taken delivery of a brand new and very expensive tandem. The married man came home unexpectedly to find the tandem leaning against his house, he went in whereupon he found his wife and the lad in flagrante delectico. The aggrevieved husband telephoned the lads dad who retorted “I don’t care what you do to him, but for Christ’s sake, don’t touch the tandem!"I probably laughed more nerviously than the rest in view of my developing relationship with Kathleen!

Next stage was an undulating road to Drummond Ville, our team finishing in the main group. Benny had the team in his room after dinner, berating them for not trying, he had a lot to learn - this was only his second road race, (his speciality being the track, a different kettle of fish). I pointed out to Benny that he was not taking in to account the field which consisted of the best amateurs from Eastern Europe (where he had never been) and top class professionals from the Continent. Benny simmered down a little.

Another flattish stage took us again through the dusty asbestos mining town of Thetford , there was again a prime up a small drag. The race finished at Trios Rivers in a big bunch sprint, we did not participate. Still very little trouble with the bikes, so I was able to massage the team before starting work. The beautiful Laurention National Park (Quebec) was passed through on this next stage from Trios Rivers to Chicoutomi, just a few hills but not enough to split the field, everyone was enjoying the scenery even at 27 mph, the stage finished at the most northerly town in Quebec Chicoutomi, seemingly the only place with a decent road. We had good food etc here, a lovely hilly forestry town like an old “cowboy” style place.

From Chicoutomi we travelled on the hilly route to La Malbie and at last our team came to life. This stage had been split into two events due to extreme road works, (I have never seen such a boulder road, nearly as bad as the road just before you enter Lodz Stadium in DDR) The first stage was 65 miles of fairly hilly country, Arthur Metcalf managed to breakaway with a Swiss rider, they were both well down on general class so they were not immediately chased, when the pursuit commenced it was too late, on a hill just before the finish Arthur swooped away and won the stage. This raised our hopes somewhat.

We put the riders bikes in the car after the first part of the stage (the riders being transported by coaches). A quick rub down and a bike check and the second part of the stage began. It was 47 mile almost all downhill, a split appeared 10 mile from the end which contained Arthur Metcalf, he finished 6th in a sprint for the line. He was to move well up on General Classification. The last stage was from La Malbie to Quebec, where it poured down with rain, John Woodburn remarked that we looked like refugees from a flood (we were all together on the floor in a big hall). In the evening there was a criterium round a Quebec shopping centre that was included to entertain the crowds, but not part of the main tour. I had a job to find a place to do the bikes, normally they would be maintained outside, the weather being consistently good but a kindly priest lent me his well-equipped garage. (It had compressed air tools which I was able to use on the bikes – they looked immaculate).

In the morning I had my usual queue of Canadian & American riders for the last time, they all thanked me profusely. The day dawned well with the rain gone, just right for the last day back into Quebec City. After about 20 miles covered a Swiss rider jumped away with Bill Bradley on his wheel, the course was quite hilly and the type of terrain which suited Bill. These two had about 1min15secs on the main group when on a long twisting hill, Arthur Metcalf got away. He had about 75secs lead when I suggested we go up and ask Bill Bradley to ease a little, the Swiss lad did the same and Arthur soon got on. These three were no threat to general class so they were allowed a decent lead, the chase started about 20 mile to go but they were too late. About 2 mile from the finish Bill hung off the other two, obviously his front tyre had a slow deflation. By good teamwork we were able to give Bill a spare bike without any loss of time, Arthur Metcalf dropping back to take Bill up to the Swiss rider.

At the top of a rise not long before the finish we came across a group with a Union Jack, jumping up and down in the road with excitement, (two Englishmen in the first three,) these two were Maurice Jeffries late of Norwood Paragon and Mike Brecon of Yorkshire R.C. Alan Large of Norwood Paragon was in our Team Car and he had helped with the massaging the previous night. Bill Bradley jumped the Swiss whilst Arthur Metcalf sat on the poor Swiss riders wheel, afterwards beating him to the sprint for second place. What a great finish for us. After this stage we were back at our familiar college, had a light meal, I “did” the bikes then gave the lads a massage - a tone up really, then with bikes on top of the car we wended our way to downtown Quebec to take part in a criterium round a big shopping centre. Money prime prizes were given and we won our fair share, with Arthur Metcalf getting second place overall (in the criterium).

Next day was a ‘rest day’ but no time to go to Niagara this year. We were allowed however to have the car to go sightseeing. We visited The ‘Mary Magdalene Cathedral’ and the famous ‘Citadel’ (I was to see an exact replica of the ‘Mary Magdalene Cathedral’ in Bone, Algeria in 1970, I had no idea that there were three identical ones in the world, the other being in Paris). We also visited an island in the middle of the St. Lawrence, on top of a steep hill there was a monument but we unfortunately did not have time to climb up to this. Also on the island near a big landing stage were several long white huts, all in immaculate condition.

On my return to England I was reading a book about the famine in Eire in the 19th century, and how people emigrated to Canada in what became known as ‘Coffin Ships’ because of the cholera outbreak on board. When they arrived of Quebec, the people were landed at ‘Isle of Orleans’ and put in to quarantine in the white huts we had seen, the monument was to the thousands of Irish people who had died there.

#074 - 1964 - Peace Race

2008-03-21T20:25:00.000Z

Here we go on another “band wagon”. It was ‘boom’ time in the shop – trade was at its best and earlier in the year we were awarded the Honda Agency. The first firm to bring in Honda was a company called “Hondis” located in small premises in a Kensington Mews. We bought the motor cycles - C100 models - in container loads. Crated in 3’s they were shipped direct from Japan. They were fitted with winkers, battery lighting, a good flywheel dyno for charging and “sparks,” they were also fitted with very adequate leg shields and all for the sum of £69-19s-6d (£69.95) - they sold like hot cakes, we could not get enough. It was necessary for us to buy a special ‘Tool and Spares kit’ before we could take delivery of the machines but who thought of these kits I will never know because 15 years later they were still unused. Later in the year we bought C92 and CB92 125cc models and C72 250cc models, these were delivered two in a crate. Eventually we had a mechanic working full time assembling these Honda machines (and later Yamaha and Suzuki). (As stated previously he is still doing this job at Roy Pidcocks Motor Cycles).

Earlier in the 1960’s the great bicycle firm of Raleigh decided to go in to production with a moped - it was the worst model ever. Raleigh soon closed down this side of the business and the managing director of this branch moved to a new firm called Honda Motor Co Ltd in new premises in Nottingham, the representatives that were with Raleigh transferred to Honda.

Early in the year I was asked to go on the Peace Race and the Tour of St Lawrence, this information was sent to me earlier then usual which helped me a lot - I could arrange my work load easier. Resentment was still being felt from brother Ernie but underneath he was O.K., his wife goading him on a little. The Manager for the G.B. Peace Race Team was to be Arthur Campbell, a BCF Committee member who had been on the tour the previous year as Scottish Team Manager. I had hoped that with my previous experience the job would be mine. I had expected to move up the scale and into management, but by now I had got the overseas cycling trips in my blood, disappointed as I was ‘mechanic’ was still an important job.

We were very busy in the shop so I was unable to travel the country to visit and get to know the team members - there were many changes from the original, word getting around that the race was too hard. The ‘Milk Race’ start date had been moved too and it was now nearer to the start of Peace Race and all the top riders wished to ride in the English event. The team selection was finally made after many alterations,

Bill Perkins
George Bennett
Tony Woodcock
John Bettison
John Froud
Jim Hendry

and my special form sent out as in previous years, duly returned and acted upon for various spares etc.

My heart was not in this 1964 event, maybe I was getting ‘blasé’. The masseur was Bill Wood, a good man he came from Lincoln and worked at Louth hospital (where Kathleen did her nursing training). We met up in BCF headquarters in London, the riders were very young and all on their inaugural International race.

Glancing quickly over the machines at the airport, I noticed George Bennett’s bike looked as though it wanted a good overhauling. I found out later that – hearing of my reputation - he had brought along his ‘old’ road bike especially for me to overhaul, - a good introduction to this North East rider! A young red haired woman came to meet us at the airport, at first I could not remember where I had seen her before then I suddenly remembered it was Ginette Vachon from Canada, who had been sent as UCI representative and employed as interpreter for the UCI committee. Our usual interpreter met us at the airport and looked after us well as always. We were again at the Hotel Warsaw, in excellent rooms and good food. All my Russian, French, Belgian and Dutch mates were they’re each welcoming each other with bear hugs. The same German driver met me with a warm hand shake.

1964 Peace Race: Tony Woodcock, John Froud, Billy Perkins, George Bennett, Jim hendry and John Bettison

The first stage was the 94km “Circuit of Warsaw” embracing tortuous main roads and cobbled streets. On entering the marvellous Stadium, Billy Perkins fell in a large accident breaking his collar bone, he was out of the race and flying home before we had hardly started. The first four days in Poland proved that out team just wasn’t good enough. Only George Bennett and stylish Tony Woodcock able to be up there in the top forty. Our team were like the 10 green bottles -, then there five, four then three, finishing up with only two. This was the first team I had been with that had not had at least three men to compete in the overall Team classification. Our third ‘count in man’ Jim Hendry, had packed on the tough 10th stage from Oue to Karlovy Vary (138km) The race continued and Jim was left in Karlovey Vary, we all assumed that he would be flown home but to our surprise he was waiting at the finish in Prague – (he had been flown to Prague in a 2 seater plane, goggles, helmet and all! Jim eventually progressed to BCF National coach). Although the work load became easier, I thought I had wasted my time coming on this particular event.

1964 Peace Race Alf, Jim Hendry, Bill Woods, Tony Woodcock, John Froud, Billy Perkins, Arthur Campbell, John Bettison and George Bennett

The highlight on this tour for me was that Leeds United were playing in the Berlin stadium as entertainment for the large crowd. The race schedule into Berlin was way in front of time, the Leeds United players wondered what was happening when, with 15 minutes still to play, and two lead police motor cyclists roared across the pitch and stopped the game! I was later able to chat to Madeley, Alan Clarke, Jack Charlton, Johnny Giles, Sid Owen (I had met him in Chemnitz some three years previous when he played for Luton Town, he was now coaching Leeds).

1964 Peace Race meeting to discuss the new Favorit cycle

The DDR, Czech and Polish teams dominated this years race with Jan Smolik winning from Hoffman of (DDR), with Weidman (DDR) 3rd. DDR won the Team Prize with Romania 2nd. As usual, we had an interesting sightseeing tour of Prague, visiting the castle and the Cathedral which was being restored. The event was run in its usual efficient manner. An instance of real organisation occurred before the start from the German Spa town of Aue. We were accommodated at the hospital which was 5 mile from the start. It was pouring down with rain and it had been for hours. The riders were not relishing riding down to the start in the centre of Aue, soaked before they had started. Like a miracle waterproof suits appeared for everyone in the race, truly unbelievable.

Some years later reading a book on DDR, I was amazed to find that Aue was the centre of Uranium mining during the war, the only one in Europe (it is all worked out now) and we had been staying in the Isolation hospital for people who had been attacked by Radium poisoning.

I was pleased to get home from this race, we had hardly any success although Tony Woodcock was a creditable 40th, he was actually in the first twenty up to the last day on the Ceske Budejovice to Prague Stage then went all to pieces. John Bennett was 47th, they could both be proud to finish.

#073 - 1963 - Tour of St Lawrence

2008-03-21T19:59:00.000Z

A few hectic weeks after the Peace Race, Benny Foster wrote to ask if I would go to the ‘Tour of St Lawrence’ travelling to Canada in late August - the invitation did not take much accepting. The team was to be

Billy Holmes,
Bill Bradley,
John Woodburn
John Geddes.

Routinely I sent out lists to riders to fill in details of their equipment, two were riding for Harry Quinn and two for Falcon, their machines had the same specification and for once I did not have to check wheels for interchanging. I adjusted my spare cycle to suit the other four. The lads brought their own tyres and special parts with them and this took a worry off me.We met up at BCF Headquarters and I set to and removed front wheels etc. and got the bikes ready for the train and boat. We sailed in the afternoon to the Hook of Holland and there boarded a train to Amsterdam Station. We could not get any taxi to take us and our bicycles to Scheepol Airport, where we were boarding an ‘Air Canada’ flight to Montreal. Not to be outdone by the fastidious taxi drivers in Amsterdam, we put Benny in a taxi with all the luggage, we then fitted the front wheels in our bikes and rode off along the Zuider Zee to Scheepol Airport, this in blazer & flannels and ordinary shoes.

After custom formalities I bought my usual three bottles of whisky and two hundred cigarettes from the Duty Free. (I always bought same before each race to give away to anyone who gave us help). We then boarded “Air Canada” four engine piston aircraft for a twelve hour flight to Montreal. We flew back over England and could plainly see the Lake District, then it was Scotland and Northern Ireland and so on over Iceland and Greenland then down through Northern Canada to land at Montreal. All the other European teams were on this flight and it passed quickly for me as I mingled with my fellow Peace Race personnel, especially the Poles and Russians and reminiscing with them. In those days it was necessary to have smallpox inoculations before you were allowed in Canada or USA, two jabs were required and a certificate to prove they had been administered. I had had my first jab but, due to the pressure of work at the shop, kept missing my second appointment.. After checking that the bikes and baggage had arrived O.K. I found myself at the back of the crowd which had just disembarked our aircraft. By the time I arrived at the table for examining smallpox jabs, thankfully the official must have been fed up because he just looked at the smallpox certificate in my passport and said ‘O.K’.

In the airport the weather seemed quite mild but when we walked outside to get our coach the heat hit us, the insects also were a nuisance and quite large. We were some 100 miles from our hotel, or rather a large Catholic College, in Quebec, the students being on holiday we would stay in their luxury accommodation. We had one stop for a light snack between Montreal and Quebec and on our arrival we were dead beat but we had to attend a civic reception. After being shown to our respective quarters, we were then given a most marvellous meal of ‘T’ bone steak and blueberry pie, and as much as one could drink of orange juice and milk. We could not help but notice how much food the Canadians threw away and thought this to be a disgraceful waste.

We were in Quebec a week before the race was due to start. We were taken down to be shown our team cars, and we were allocated a Lincoln Continental Automatic, we then found out that I had to drive, the only credentials required was your current driving licence, unfortunately I and a Yugoslavian had left our licences at home. ‘No sweat, we will book you a driving test here in Quebec’ said the organiser. This they promptly did and the two of us were taken to the Driving Test Office where we had to sit in a mock car whilst they put us through various aptitude, eye sight, and reflex tests, quite an ordeal really. We were then ushered in to a classroom where we sat the theory test paper which involved answering about thirty questions on their type of Highway Code. We were then shown into a long estate car L.H. drive automatic of course! Where upon we set forth along the main streets of Quebec at the rush hour - to our relief and amazement we were issued with driving licences.

That same evening we decided to go ten pin bowling, there being a rink close by. This bowling was new to us, I put my three fingers in a ball and went to bowl, my fingers stuck in the ball for a split second then went up in the air and I had a strike three ‘alley’s’ away on the right, the whole place exploded in mirth, we had a great time. One of the Canadian party who was looking after us suggested he take us to a special pub, we went along with him and the pub was set in sandstone which was quite unique. This Canadian had been to England, and when he knew I was from Nottingham area he blushed and said “Fancy me bringing you here when in Nottingham you have “The Trip To Jerusalem” (reputed to be the finest ‘pub’ built in sandstone in the world, I discovered). I did not tell I had not seen it ( I had lived in Nottingham 41 years and had never visited the ‘Trip’ as it was known locally - as soon as possible on my return to England I rectified this).

The Tour was sponsored by a leading cake manufacturer Vachon Cakes, the owner millionaire Monsieur Vachon had a charming red haired daughter who was to be interpreter for all the foreign teams, (she eventually came over to England as interpreter for several teams in the Leicester World Championships).

We were becoming tourists instead of racing cyclists. We had been out training early one morning getting back for lunch, on our return, we found that a trip to the beautiful old city of Quebec had been arranged especially to the “citadel” with its history. (Churchill and Roosevelt wrote the Atlantic Treaty here).We also visited the Heights of Abraham where General Wolf and his army had overwhelmed the French to take the city, General Montcalm led the French. Our history books were coming to life. We crossed a bridge, similar to the Forth Railway bridge, I had read about this bridge in a “Wonder Book of Engineering” that my dad had given me for Christmas 1934, and here it was right in front of me!. The builders had a lot of trouble with the centre span, it had collapsed three times before they finally got it right. (The Jacques Cartier bridge we were to cross in Montreal was also a subject of this book).

A guide took us round explaining the battles and how far the Americans came in their War of Independence , our guide was for French/Canadians, and so when an American party crossed our path we swapped parties, there was quite a few nice young women in this party and we had a happy time. The race eventually started and we picked up quite a few high places. Stage towns as I recall were Trios Riveres, Montmargny a Criterium in Montreal, Drummondvile and Sherburne. I also remember passing through Thetford Mines, there was a prime there but you could hardly see for the dust created by the mining of asbestos. (I have wondered many times since how the people fared there when it became known of the dangers of exposure to asbestos). We stayed in very comfortable college hostels, the food throughout was excellent. We were mostly together in one big dormitory, it made for good comradeship and we had some laughs, John Geddes being a great comedian.

The tour finished in Quebec, Kees Haast of Holland won the event, Billy Holmes 4th, John Woodburn 10th, John Geddes 15th and Bill Bradley 19th, we also won 3rd team place from Holland with Belgium 2nd. The grand prize giving was held in an Ice Stadium with a super band and a lovely girl singer, John Geddes remarked what a beauty this girl was and before the night was out he met her and took her out. (We did not see John again for three days when we met up for our return flight at Montreal). The race organisers congratulated us on our skill in the race and also for being good ambassadors for England. As a reward they allowed us the use of car with a credit card for petrol and all other expenses, we could go wherever we fancied. We had a quick meeting and decided to go to Niagara Falls which was 760 miles away, I worked all night before we departed getting the bikes ready for the flight and putting all the luggage with them. The Dutch team offered to load our stuff on a van to be transported to Montreal Airport and we accepted gratefully (we would be miles away then).

We set off early in the morning, Mike Breckon who had helped us a lot during the tour, put us on the right road. We dropped Mike at Montreal where he lived and we carried on through Montreal on to the Trans Canadian Highway towards Hamilton, Benny Foster had arranged to see some friends near Ottawa. All we heard from him for about 500 mile was his moaning that we would not make the cross roads in the time he had arranged with his friends, the car ran like a dream and found that we had driven 100 mile in a hour. Afterwards we were to find out there was a 60 mph speed restriction!. We arrived at the rendezvous for Benny and it was just starting to rain. He was still moaning so we left him to get wet.

We arrived at Niagara Falls in the early evening, they were floodlit and made a marvellous spectacle, unbelievable. What we had not realised was that the falls were in the middle of a large city, The American Falls opposite being in the country, we called at a motel to get accommodation but unfortunately it was full, luckily a Yorkshire girl was on the reception and she knew a French/Canadian lady from St Catherine’s who might be able to accommodate us - she rang for us and everything was O.K. she could put the four of us up. St Catherine’s was only 5 or 6 mile away, near to Lachine rapids and the St Lawrence Ship Canal, this canal allows ocean going ships to come right inland to Montreal and in to Lake Ontario and Toronto and Chicago. We found the digs and they were super and the lady of the house really looked after us, she was amazed at our domesticity as we washed all the pots, made our beds and helped in quite a few ways, (for many years afterwards we exchanged Christmas cards) she said we were good ambassadors of England.

The following morning we had a lovely breakfast, washed the dishes, made our beds and then decided that as it was raining we would go to Buffalo City which is just a few miles over the Rainbow Bridge from Niagara, we drove across the bridge going OK through the Canadian customs. On the far side of the bridge we came up against the USA customs men. All Canadian cars were normally given cursory glances then waved through, we however were stopped. Our passports were examined and it was quickly noticed that 3 of us had been to Eastern European countries, so we were passed on to another Customs Officer who told us to get out of the car and follow him in to an office. He then commenced to ask questions ‘why had we been to Poland, Czechoslavakia, East Germany and Soviet Union?’, I was answering him politely, when Bill Bradley who was standing at the back of our group, shouted -

“Lets go back to Canada, we only came here because it’s raining”

On hearing this, the Custom Officer banged our passports on his desk and informed us that entry was denied!. We got in our car and returned to Canada, the customs officer there welcomed us saying that was the quickest trip anyone had made to the USA, he could not control his laughter. Instead we visited the rapids where the Niagara River narrows. (you can imagine how fast the river flows there, Captain Webb tried to swim across for a wager, but lost his life).

We did all the tourist spots, i.e. going to the back of the falls all of us in long black oilskin coats looking like penguins. After that we caught the small steamer very aptly called “The Maid of the Mists”, which takes you up to the base of the falls, spray going everywhere. The time soon came to leave our French/Canadian ‘mother’ for our 400 odd mile journey to Montreal Airport and so fly to London and home.

Forty years later some memories of the first Tour of St Lawrence come flooding back. Whilst the race had first class independent and top amateur teams from Europe, the rest of the field was made up of individual Canadian and American USA riders, they had little or no back-up and every morning early, a queue formed near my toolkit area with these North American riders in trouble with their bikes. I was able to help them all. If any mechanic had a ‘big problem’ with a bike then all the mechanics helped each other. John Woodburn was with me one evening discussing his bike and the next day’s course (we did this on the earlier Peace Race) and I introduced John to my great Russian mate Sevette (of the 1955 Peace Race vodka debacle). John exclaimed

“ Ah, he’s your friend is he”

“Yes - why!” I exclaimed,

“Well, I punctured in the Peace Race, and before I was off my bike your mate was there with a rear wheel and pushed me back in the small break I was in, I lost no time at all” said John. I explained to John that the Russian, French and Polish mechanics had an unwritten rule that if any of our riders were in trouble with neither of our cars there, we would help each other, this applied to all teams in any event.

My brothers lad, Alan took this same sporting help to a “Once” rider who was in trouble on “Tour de France 2000”. The rider had punctured, his team cars had gone on, somehow missing him. Alan tried to fit a US Postal Teck wheel but to no avail, so he loaned him a Teck bike. This gesture enabled the “Once” rider to win the ‘youngest rider’ award in Paris. Although initially Alan was reprimanded for his actions, when a photograph appeared in the press of the young ‘Once’ rider finishing the stage on a US Postal bike, it was soon realised what good publicity this had been in this competitive world.

The thing enjoyed by me in this Canadian Tour was the driving, we had some hair raising moments especially one day when a big Canadian sightseer decided to view the race from the convoy! and he had no chance of course but the ‘cutting up’ was a bit hectic for a while.

A typical day in Canada –

Arise and creep out of bed for a wash etc. then
Down to the bikes, check the tyres for any cuts or flints, fit new where required.
Blow up all tyres (on this race there were four bikes and and a spare plus 3 pair wheels.
Check over the car, i.e. oil, petrol, tyres etc.
Clean car inside and out.
Get a light breakfast.
Look at any amateur Canadian bikes.
Then my team would come for their bikes. I would then ask them to try out their machines and carry out adjustments, if any required.
Drive down to the start with the team hanging on to the car door handles. Often, after a stage, I managed to give the riders a full body massage, then went on to maintain the bikes, in a way acting as a real continental ‘Soiogneur’, cleaning shoes, washing shirts, (getting them dry was the biggest problem, although in Canada the colleges had furnace rooms which I was able to use to dry the riders kit).

Meanwhile Benny Foster was off to meetings with the foreign team managers, sorting out various problems we had, a tactics meeting was held daily too.

#072 - 1963 - Peace Race

2008-03-21T19:40:00.004Z

After missing the Peace Races from 1959-62 I received an invitation to go on the 1963 event, the team was made up of the new Independent class of rider the list being

John Woodburn
John Harve
“Gos” Goodman
Mick Shea
Ged Coles
Kenny Daniels

The route took my favourite way Prague-Berlin-Warsaw. I tried to see all the riders in various events before we left England as usual, luckily apart from wheel differences I only had to make them interchange (spare wheels included). The team manager was a man I had not met, and he was on his first trip abroad. The masseur, S. Watson from Southport.

This team had not got the discipline of the Brittain, Blower, Bradley, Booty brigade, they slouched about in track suits, no blazer and flannels for them. Picking out the best was not difficult, John Woodburn finishing 14th overall, his highest day placing was in the Time Trial when he achieved 12th place. When you have been with a successful team it is difficult to adapt to one not quite so good - mind you anyone who rides the Peace Race and finishes deserves a gold medal.

On the stage in to Dresden John Woodburn crashed. He was away with a small group and I am sure he would have been in the first three, he was going so well. He came off almost at the gates of the Stadium, both tyres rolled off. He grabbed a lady’s bike and rode over the line on that - the crowd, photographers, T.V. and radio commentators went wild and he became an instant hero. On John’s bike I had used Barum tyre cement instead of the best at that time ‘Clement’ and as the team mechanic I was very upset at this incident, but John laughed it off.

I was quite friendly with the tyre representative of the Czech company ‘Barum’, and on meeting him in Prague in the hotel, he asked me to come round to see his stock in the Barum van whereupon he promptly presented me with 30 of their tyres identical to Dunlop’s. The team members were overjoyed as I was able to fit these excellent tyres on their machines now. (Dunlop had stopped giving tyres to International Teams due to some bad publicity in a ‘Milk Race’ - again some official biting the hand that feeds you). Tyres were a big slice out of riders small budget. The Barum tyres were exact copies of the Dunlop No 2, 3 and 5. (5 years previously, Barum Tyre Co had asked for our assistance and requested samples of all our Dunlop tyres, we duly obliged and they gave us a number of their (unfortunately at the time inferior) tyres in exchange).

I got on well with John and most nights he would come down to my mechanics room to discuss which team he was to ride with in the next stage (he could not use his own team because every day they were off the back, and 10-20 mins down on the stage winner) this does not detract from the fact that they finished but merely that they were not of the same standard as John. I am forgetting an incident coming in to Dresden. I had been informed that Derby County were playing the DDR National Football Team in the Stadium. This match was to entertain the crowd before the Peace Race arrived. It is a fairly flat run in to Dresden, and the scoreboard inside the stadium could clearly be seen -, DDR 1 - Derby County 3. I was delighted of course and not only that, all the Derby team were waiting for our riders to finish so they could greet them, they had been told of the Peace race and how hard it was, they were honoured that a team from England was taking part.

The next day was a “rest day” and I had stayed at this hotel before. There was night club underneath, so I told the Derby crowd and after dinner I joined them. My hero’s were there Kevin Hector, Roy McFarland, Daniels, Webster, Alan Durban and many other good players. Brian Clough was to take over the club when they returned to Derby and they were a bit apprehensive, we had a real good night together and for me it was one of the highlights of the Tour.

The Tour was run as efficient as ever, the manager and I had sorted the menu’s out for the daily meals and everything was going smoothly, I suppose I was getting used to everything now. That first 1955 tour had been so hard - this one in comparison seemed like a picnic. In this 1963 Tour there was a Scots and an Australian Team, Arthur Campbell managed Scotland and right out the blue came Percy Stallard to manage the Australians. After all Percy had been the team manager when Ian Steel won the event in 1952, they had also taken the Team Award overall. Percy found it very difficult to manage this team of Aussies, they resented his dictatorial manner. One thing must be attributed to Percy, all his team finished the race. We finished 14th in the General Class Team, 7hr54min down, the Scots were 15th at 10hr24min and the Aussies 16th at 14hr30min. All six of our team finished. John Woodburn 14th, Daniels 63rd, Ged Coles 67th, John Harvey 74th, Mick Shea 75th and Goz Goodman 76th.

For the finale and Prize presentation we were taken to a landing stage on the River Spree where 3 luxury river boats, each with a dance band, girls, food and drink, we landed on an island in the middle of the Spree, all lit up by fairy lights etc, it looked and was absolutely brilliant. The Aussies somehow got Percy Stallard completely sloshed and he didn’t have a clue where he was (he was a tee total too). Apart from a night in the Berlin Sports Halle in 1966 this was the best end of ‘Tour party’ put on by the Organising Committee. We flew home the following day via Copenhagen. The break up in London came and we departed our separate ways.

#071 - 1962 - Tour of Poland

2008-03-20T20:09:00.009Z

The year was flying by, late in August 1962 I was invited to the “Tour of Poland” Arthur Maxfield was to be manager. The team was,

1. Billy Perkins,
2. Gordon McNaught,
3. Chris Berretto
4. Alan Perkins.

We now raced under the banner of Great Britain. About a week or so before we left for Warsaw I had a phone call from a lad from Wolverhampton who had obtained my telephone number from Hugh Porter. His name was Alan Hodgetts and he had read in “Cycling” that I was going to Poland. It appeared Alan a student, had been on exchange visit to Warsaw and had met and fell in love with a Polish student by the name of Maria. On Alan’s return to England they had corresponded and attempts made to get Maria a visa for her to visit the U.K. Things in Communist countries were very difficult then and she was not allowed out of Poland. Their romance had blossomed and they wanted to get engaged – and this is where I came in, I was asked to take his engagement ring and give it to Maria who would meet us on our arrival in Warsaw.

Later that week I had business with Percy Stallard in Wolverhampton and arranged to meet Alan when the ring would be handed over. The day soon came when were to depart for Warsaw. Much to our consternation we had the same old “Dakota” we had flown in 1955! The plane was 10 hours late leaving London, arriving in Warsaw in the early hours of the morning. By the time we arrived Maria was dead tired having waited all day and part of the night for us. She escorted us on the coach and took us to our hotel, we were very thankful that she was there because no official had waited for us. Anyway on the bus I got down on one knee in the time honoured fashion and proposed to Maria on Alan’s behalf and fitted the ring, to the delight and amusement of everyone on the coach who applauded. Whilst we were in Warsaw, Maria acted as our interpreter and made a very good job of it too.

The Tour started from the “Palace of Culture” this was a ceremonial start, the start proper being on the outskirts of the city. Unfortunately my memory fails me for this Polish Tour, but I recall the highlight for us all was a stage win by Billy Perkins, he beat Adler of DDR in a sprint on a black cinder track. The route taken was in Eastern Poland and very close to the Russian border. When we were in Lublin I was asked by an English speaking member of the Polish team if I wanted to visit the Majdanek Concentration Camp, I hadn’t heard of this place before and as he obviously wanted company I agreed to go with him.

What a nightmare it was, it was dusk when we arrived and nobody there; we drove through the main gate, up and down the many rows of huts, and the ovens. In 1944 when the Russians arrived at the camp it held 20,000 people and their presence could still be felt. The camp had been left just as the Russians had found it. The memory will never leave me.

The race went down to a beautiful part of Poland, Zakopane in the Carpathian Mountains where we stayed in a luxury hostel. (Bob Thom, a regular visitor to my shop as sales represntative of Viking Cycles, had told me before about this place. Bob had ridden in the Tour of Zakopane in 1951 and he was full of praise for the scenery, the houses being all wood like an early Austrian scene). We had dinner at Rzeszow and then there was a torch light procession to the railway station where we caught the express to Warsaw, it was very impressive all the large crowd with naked flame torches, a brass band proceeded us.

The race finished in Warsaw where we were met again by Maria. All the race personnel had a night out in the old town, (then being restored after the German massacre in 1944). The Hotel was called the “Green Frog” prizes were presented, we left Warsaw in our favourite “Dakota” the next day .The team had ridden very well and had won quite a few prizes, some of it money Polish zlotys. The currency was invalid in England so I took the lads to the duty free Russian Shop which I had found on the 1958 Warsaw Berlin Prague trip with Tommy Eglestone. We also got a few press photos from Novy Platz newspaper office.

After three weeks together, team break ups in London always seemed a sad affair. The first meal we had on landing from Poland (where the food was not to good) was tomato soup, followed by full English breakfast and mugs of good English tea. On the train from St Pancras I went to the dining car and was directed to the 1st class. There was only room for one more person I sat with this gentleman who turned out to be none other than the ‘trouble shooter’ Sir John Harvey-Jones he was then head of British Steel and we discussed Stanton Ironworks, his views were very interesting.

#070 - 1961 - A long weekend and meeting the Prime Minister

2008-03-20T20:01:00.000Z

Trade continued to be good for us and in Sept 1961 we were appointed main stockists for BSA and Lambretta Spare Parts - ensuring extra discounts, we held our first staff dinner at the Rose & Crown Inn at Smalley and our annual ‘works outing’ to the National Cycle & Motor Cycle Show at Earls Court which was always looked forward to and enjoyed by us all. We would catch the 8 a.m. business train from Nottingham, have breakfast in the dining car and just finish that second cup of coffee as we glided in to St. Pancras, London and then by taxi to the show. Once there our suppliers fell over themselves to wine & dine us and try and sell us the earth. We caught the 6 p.m. train back to Nottingham.

The shop had another good Christmas mainly selling bikes to 15-18 year olds ( still on the 1945 birth rate bulge). Phillips kiddies trikes were in short supply that year (i.e. the luxury model with blow up tyres and a luggage boot) and I telephoned the Phillips works at Newtown (Powys) where they were manufactured and managed to reserve three, but they would have to be collected.

We had an Austin 1800 car then so could easily pick these up. I set off early but when approaching Weston on Trent the SU electric petrol pump packed up. We had had this problem before on a Riley “Elf”, so we always carried a service/exchange unit with us. The only trouble was snow on the ground and on that model the pump is just below the rear boot, I got it on but was mucked up to the eyes. There was no M54 or A5(M) or Welshpool bypass, the best way in 1960 was through Shrewsbury, on to narrow, twisty counry lanes to Montgomery through Sarn and Kerry then in the back entrance to Phillips factory near the railway. The trikes collected, it was an uneventful journey back to Long Eaton. (Phillips closed their Newtown factory in the early “70s” it is now split up in to various small units).

Kathleen had been living at No 1. Myrtle Avenue for 2 years by now, and we had become good friends. There was always a warming mug of milky coffee (sometimes laced with rum on a winter’s day) and I didn’t always wait until I had a learner rider to coach to enjoy her coffee and company. By now Dianne was 7 and David aged 4 was just starting Mikado Infants School. Although we didn’t know or speak of each others private life and our relationship was strictly platonic, it would seem that neither of us was very happy at home and this in no small way contributed to our growing friendship. Kathleen had a pedal cycle and with my knowledge of local byways I was able to give her a few routes to explore and in the summer evenings she would go towards the River Trent at Sawley, turn left by the boat yard and so down a lovely lane towards Kegworth, and also ride with the children to Dale Abbey where there is a famous farmhouse which has a church attached.

In March 1962 I had an invite to drive the team car on the “Tour de L'Avenir” i.e. the amateur “Tour de France”, a dream of a job, however due to pressure of work it was with great reluctance that I had to decline. Bert was home for the weekend and when I told him about the invite he wondered if he could go in my place. This was cleared by manager Bob Thom but he wasn’t very impressed. However, Bert did his usual ‘Stirling Moss’ job with the driving, helped the mechanic and did all the washing and odd jobs that are always needed on a stage race. This was Barry Hoban’s first stage race. When they arrived home following the race, Bob Thom telephoned and thanked me for sending such a good man.

At the end of March that year on Easter Saturday, Derby County were playing Preston North End in a Cup match, Keith and his lads Peter and David, Jean, Carol and I went. Our eldest brother-in-law had gone to work as a baker in Preston and had a big flat. We left Jean and the three children with Joyce - Keith and I going to the match. Derby won 1-0, man of the match was Prestons Archie Gemmill, Derby signed him there and then, what a player he turned out to be both for Derby County and later for Nottingham Forest. The only food we seemed to have each meal at Dougies (Jean’s brother) was “hot cross buns” and Cornish pasties.

We left Preston and travelled up north to Loch Lomond Youth Hostel which is on the shores of the Loch. En route, we had called at some friends at Inerleithen, near Peebles, the man of the house had been stationed at Chilwell Ordnance depot during the war and had married a Long Eaton girl who was a friend of ours. They lived in a pre-fabricated bungalow, these “pre-fabs” as they were called, were built after the war to house the returning Servicemen. These in Inerleithen were being brick built round the existing building. They gave us heaps of toast and mugs of tea, they had been clearing out all the rubbish and we rescued a ‘Marie Antoinette’ type hat.

We left their house going through the back way to Loch Lomand Youth Hostel. We had a meal there, then after dinner we took part in highland dancing and had a lovely night. In the grounds of the youth hostel there is a fairly high statue. Keith threw up the hat we had got from Inerleithen and it landed right on the statue’s head! Some weeks later the family came to this same hostel on a Woman’s Institute visit, espying the statue they were greatly surprised to see it wearing their hat!

We had a terrific drive on Easter Monday up the east side of Scotland to Oban; we looked round there then retraced to Connell Bridge, the railway ran at the side of the single track road, then over the Ferry at Ballachullish (there is a new bridge there now) and from there up Rannoch Moor, through Kinlockeven to Fort William and then on the road to the Isles, we only got as far as the King Charles monument when we decided we had gone far enough as we had planned to stop at Perth Youth Hostel that night. We came down the A9 arriving at Perth in time for an evening meal. Jean and the children decided to go to see a film while Keith and I went to have a look at the new Glenshee ski lift, we also went to Braemar and Balmoral. Keith and I headed back but it was now dark, we could see on the left a lovely big mansion all floodlit, we turned down a muddy track towards this house when we were accosted by a man with a shot gun who called to us……..

“Are you lost” he asked

“No, we just wanted to look at this beautiful mansion.” we replied, Keith mentioned in fun something about it could be a ‘Youth Hostel’

“No, but we can arrange for an overnight stay if you wish…..” said the man. By this time we were close up and I suddenly realised we were in conversation with Lord Hume, Prime Minister at that time. We told Lord Hume where we had left the family, he laughed and said you had better get back quickly. What a gentleman, we got back to the main road and proceeded to Perth, but by now it was after 11 p.m. and we were locked out of the hostel - Jean had to open a window for us. Keith and I considered a possible conversation when we got back to Long Eaton

‘What did you do over the weekend?’

‘Oh, went to a football match in Preston, visited a relative in Scotland, had a trip round Loch Lomand, the Road to the Isles, Glenshee, Balmoral and Braemar and stopped the night with the Prime Minister’ we decided against it as we didn’t think anyone would believe us!!

We drove home the next day going via Edinborough and the two famous bridges then on the M8 to south of Glasgow and so home on the Tuesday night. The Vauxhall “Cresta” ran like a dream, the fastest car I have ever driven apart from Bill Henshaws “E” type Jaguar.

#069 - 1961 - Tour De France

2008-03-20T12:40:00.002Z

I seemed to be drifting away from any Cycling events I was not asked to go to the Peace Race in May, but out of the blue came an invite to go to the “Tour de France” as one of three mechanics to a newly formed English team which was to be managed by a Frenchman, Monsieur Mater. I had met him in 1959 when he was Director Sportif of the Equipe Francais in the Peace Race. The other 2 mechanics were Norman Roberts and a Frenchman named Andre Chenal. Three masseurs were also appointed Bill Shilibeer was one and a Dutchman and a Frenchman making the team of officials. There was also a friend of M. Mater who was to drive the team car. The team was made up of

1. Brian Robinson
2. Tommy Simpson
3. Vin Denson
4. Kenny Laidlaw
5. Seamus Elliot (Eire)
6. Stan Brittain
7. Albert Hitchen
8. Pete Ryalls
9. Ron Coe
10. Ian Moore
11. George O’Brian
12. Sean Ryan

We were very busy at the two shops and I was not as fit as I usual was before a race, nor could I get motivated for it. Then to top it all and two days before we were due to travel to the start at Rouen, Norman Roberts rang me to say he had pushed a screwdriver through his hand, the injury being so severe he would not be able to take part. (I heard much later that Norman had got “cold feet and did not want to come). Later that evening Bert Humphreys called in the shop and I told him about Norman, a thought came in to my head - why not ask Bert to come with me to France? Bert and I discussed this and he decided to come. What a success he turned out to be, but more of this later. Bert had been unhappy with his present job for some time and so was pleased to leave. The pay in the Tour de France was twice what he was currently getting, together with excitement and food and lodgings.

We left Long Eaton by train with all our gear i.e. tool box and three cases. The case that held our valuable spare parts had been bought at Mears shop in Long Eaton, Bert tested its strength by jumping on it from off the shop counter, proclaiming it would be OK! Nowadays we would buy an aluminium one. We had arranged to meet Bill Shilliber at Victoria Station, he was there waiting and we had a chat, he could not raise my enthusiasm for the race either. Also I had been working in to the small hours of the morning and I was really dead beat. No sleep was possible on the boat, we arrived in Le Havre shattered.

We then made the short trip to Rouen and met up with the rest of our team. Some were old racing rivals of mine, Stan Brittain presented me with a rear wheel which required a new rim, all I wanted to do was sleep but there was no chance. Next and right out the blue, six Rochet frames arrived, this was the afternoon before the next days start! Andre, Bert and I got stuck in to changing these frames over. When it came to fitting the handlebars and stems we found that the frames were made for French sizes the English being slightly larger. We endeavoured to obtain different sizes but we could not. We had to file down handlebars, stems and seat pillars, a crude job on the biggest cycle race in the world.

While we were engaged in this work, in trooped a party from ‘Cycling’ led by Johnny Dennis to see how the mechanics were doing. A nice gesture really but were we embarrassed. We finished the bikes late at night. André then decided to take us for a walk to sightsee the cathedral, taking us later to the spot were Joan of Arc had been burnt to death by the English. By now I was physically drained, wishing I had never set eyes on the “Tour de France”. In the morning Pete Ryalls, who had obviously been consulting his race bible, asked me if I had brought any chain wheels with me, he wanted a 42t inner to enable him to get up the mountains. Having checked his bike over I knew he had a Williams C1200 cotter Chain set and Williams had not produced any less than 44t. Some of the riders had equipment that was much worse than that of the amateur teams I had been with in the past. Worrying me also was the brakes that some of them were riding i.e. GB centre pull, no matter how these were adjusted you could pull the levers up to the handlebars. Brian Robinson heard about my worries, he assured me that the riders in question would only last three or four days.

I was in the lead car for the first few days, the Tour provides two cars and a van for the luggage, this was in the days of National Teams, races are a lot more professional now, no comparison with the amateur days. With the first two days passing reasonably quietly, mostly bunch finishes, Shay Elliot held the Yellow jersey for one day. Still absolutely tired out I was asked to drive the number two car, a Renault Dauphine with no doors on the front. We shared driving the lead car, so as to enable each of us the excitement of driving the team car. The position of the car in the vehicle peliton is decided by the general class position of your Team.

On the fourth stage we were on the Paris-Roubaix rough roads and there was a huge crash, I rushed up to the scene with a pair of wheels, whereupon I came across Brian Robinson sitting with his back to a tree, he remarked to me quite casually that the wheels would not be any good - bring him a bike, I ran back to the car and gave him the bike and pushed him off. How to be relaxed, what a lesson for me. About five miles after this crash I was driving fast through a village to catch up with the main group, when there at the side of the road stood Tommy Simpson with a rear wheel in his hand indicating he had punctured, I quickly had a wheel out of the car, then noticing his chain was like a figure eight all twisted, I thought Christ! I will have to give him a bike. But I gave the chain a good shake and to my relief it fell in to the right position, “F…….. hell how did you do that?” said Tom. I pushed him off and he regained the main group. Unfortunately during winter training Tom had injured his knee and no matter what treatment the race doctor administered, during the stage as well, Tom had to retire. By the time we reached Grenoble we were down to five riders, this naturally made the mechanics job much easier.

At the beginning of this race we had twelve bikes and six pair of wheels, we would clean and check the bikes and then Andre would disappear to the French team to find out what gears they were riding for the mountain stage, as we were to have the same. When we got to the mountains we (Bert and I) had finished the bikes then we had to wait for Andre to come back with gear ratios, this could take some time as Andre was amongst friends and in no hurry to get back! We got fed up of changing sprockets - a much harder job than the cassette hubs supplied to day. We went over the ‘Col Mont Cenis’ and in to Italy finishing at Turin. At Turin the ‘Tour de l'Avenir’ would cross our path, this was a new race for amateurs and there was an English team in it. Bert and I waited for the England team to finish because we had decided to help this mechanic who had six bikes to do. The mechanic came along and all he could moan about was that we had three mechanics to do four bikes, we could not get a word in to offer our help, so we left him to it.

After the Turin stage to Nice our team dropped to four, Vin Denson being out of the time limit, the organisers decided that to cut down expenses a mechanic and a masseur must return home. As Bert was doing an excellent job with the luggage van and doing the washing and all sorts of things, I volunteered to go home and I have never been so relieved to leave a race before or since, it had beena real nightmare to me - I lost my race nerve completely.

On reaching home my mind was still on the race, avidly reading the cycle reports daily. The pay for mechanics in the Tour de France was very good and this enabled me to fly to Paris to see the finish on the Parc de Prinz track. The show put on before the finish to keep the crowd amused was really first class, the gendarme on BSA motor cycles bringing the house down. Then camethe massed sprint to the line, the prize presentation followed with Jacques Anquetil winning. After the final celebrations were over, Kenny Laidlaw returned home to Glasgow, the rest of us stayed with the manager M. Mater at his hotel.

Following the Tour, riders are contracted to ride in Town Centre races or as they are known in France - Criteriums. Brian and Shay were offered contracts and the next day – with Bert and I accompanying them, we drove to Evreux near Caen for a 50 lap Criterium. The whole town is roped off just like a carnival, road side seats were at a premium. This event was pure show business and a real joy to watch but what a terrible hard way to make a living, this being the day following the final stage of the Tour. The riders were booked for many days ahead for these prestigious events, but the down side was that they could be several hundred miles apart, and after a hard slog the riders wanted nothing more than to relax in their hotel instead of facing a long drive. After the first criterium Bert and I returned home elated. Bert, who had thrown caution to the winds and resigned his job to go on the Tour de France, soon found a new joinery post at the pre-fabricate building firm of Vic Hallam Ltd of Langley Mill. He was sent all over the British Isles with this work.

#068 - 1960 - Rome Olympics

2008-03-20T12:33:00.000Z

Late in 1960 we had bought a new Vauxhall ‘Cresta’ car with 6 cylinder engine (long stroke) fitted with 3 speed column change gearbox and two higher gears overdrive, maroon and silver was the colour. The front seat was a bench seat so it would carry six people with ease. We still had the tickets for the Olympic games so after a little heart searching (money wise) we decided to take the plunge. Carol and Jean didn’t have passports, so I rang the head Passport Office at Petty France in Kensington and was told to be down at the office the following morning 9 a.m. and the passports would be issued. I then organised the “Green Card” insurance etc through the RAC and tickets for the channel crossing - we were to sail from Folkestone on the midnight boat to Boulogne.

We travelled down to London the previous evening booking into a ‘bed & breakfast’ hotel. Whilst waiting for our passports we took a trip round the city of London and in Trafalgar Square we saw a travel shop, I went in and much to our surprise was able to arrange a package holiday which included several trips, accommodation in a monastery and a concert in Rome. We collected the passports and so drove on to Folkestone where we had a few hours on a local beach, and then at 11 p.m. we boarded the boat. An uneventful crossing, the sea being dead calm, we drove off the boat heading through the Great War battlefields were my Dad had been during the First World War. Arras, Bapaume, Menin Gate Amiens, Chateau Thierry and so down to Dole then to Dijon and so over the Jura Mountains in to Switzerland. The weather and the scenery impeccable. We descended in to Lausanne where at a fork in the road i.e. left to Neufchatel and right for Brega and the Grand St Bernard Pass, we managed to get super accommodation on the interchange. The people here made quite a fuss of us and a big crowd gathered round the car.

Early risers the next morning we travelled alongside the lovely Lake Leman to Montreux, Sion and Brig then over the stupendous Grand St Bernard Pass with its lovely view of Mont Blanc with the Monastery and small lake in the foreground. The descent was a bit hairy but we soon found ourselves in the majestic busy City of Milan. We seemed to be lost, when I espied a very small sign which said Autostrada, we followed these signs which eventually put us on the “Route de Sol” I thought the road had been completed to Rome, but it disappeared at Bolonga. We then inquired the way from an Italian, and with all sorts of signs and markings on the map, we were to instructed to travel to Forli on the Adriatic, then turn right going through Assisi, Perugia and so on to Rome.

Whilst on the lower slopes of the Grand St Bernard Pass a Vespa scooter came careering towards us obviously out of control with a ‘wheelie’. On this machine were two Welsh girls, they just missed us and fell off in front of a rented Ford with three Australian lads who were also going to the Olympics, luggage was all over the road, and a wallet with money. One girl had a large ‘egg shaped’ bump in her forehead, she obviously would have concussion. The other girl had cut her arm and leg. We had a good first aid kit with us and were able to administer aid as best we could. Meanwhile the Australian lads had, with great present of mind, managed to stop a small flat bottom farm vehicle, the Swiss driver could speak English, he picked up the bike (which strangely enough did not show any sign of damage) promising us that he would take the girls to the nearest Hospital and then take them to the nearest YHA. We said goodbye to the Australian “threesome” and by coincidence we were to see them in the stadium at the Opening Ceremony they sat in the next seats to me. I have often wondered how these Welsh girls fared because we forgot to take their addresses.

We arrived in Rome early in the morning, what a busy city - cars, motor bikes, mopeds, scooters and bikes by the thousand. After several mistakes we eventually found the Monastery, it was in a beautiful spot on a wooded hillside near to the Forum, we pressed the doorbell and a big oak door opened with compressed air, we explained our visit to the Sister who readily had us park the car in their private square, then took us in to the Monastery and gave us a splendid meal. We were then taken up to our dormitory where we had a family room. The other people staying here were Canadians, New Zealanders, South Africans, Australian and Americans, we had a great time with them.

As we had driven all night we decided to go to bed for a few hours before we tackled Rome. The Opening Ceremony was in the evening and luckily the weather had cooled. Unfortunately, whilst we had three tickets, one was on one side of the Arena and two on the other so we had to part. Carol and Jean to the nearside of the Stadium and me on the other, typical really, when I eventually found my seat who should be there but the Australians we had seen on the Grand St Bernard.

The following morning after a good breakfast we were off on a trip to the Vatican and St. Peters (This was included in the price of the package we had bought in London).We were taken on a coach and had a guide, it was a moving experience and took up all the morning. After lunch we braved the busy city to find the new Olympic Velodrome as we had tickets for the cycling events. The first event on the lavish programme was the 1000 metre sprint for tandems and in the third heat our own Eric Thompson and Peter Brotherton were competing. The stadium was not full but we gave our tandem duo a big ovation, calling their names and making our presence known. After the race and the two were on a ‘wind-down’ lap, they looked to see where all the support for them was coming from – and were amazed and pleased to see us! Eric had no idea we were in Rome and he and Peter came in the crowd to sort us out, we had a long chat and who should join us but Gold medallist from Australia Ron Webb (later to be the great builder of six day wooden Velodromes). It was a honour to make his acquaintance. As the team had no transport other than a lorry for the forthcoming road race, Eric asked if I could come to the village early on the Sunday and take the team to the start. (Before that, Lloyd Binch was competing in the sprints and he won his first heat but went out in the second round to Baski of USSR).

By now I was allowed in the middle of the track and witnessed a row between the manager and Karl Barton. Karl had been informed earlier that this particular afternoon was for training purposes for the 1000 Time Trial and the Open 1000m sprint, consequently he had not brought his higher sprockets. In fact, his event was actually on the same afternoon and so he had to ride in the TT on a lower gear than he would normally, his time was not too bad 1m11secs.. The race was won by an Italian with 1m8secs who also won the sprint the same afternoon, his name Giriadoni.

Days before the road race Jean, Carol and I were taken by coach to Tivoli gardens about 20 mile south of Rome where we had another good day, this package was proving to be the highlight of the holiday. We were also taken to Aosta beach - an old Roman watering place, the trouble was the heat, and one could not walk on the sand. This was the same day the 100km Team Pursuit was held, the heat proving too much for a Danish rider who collapsed and died of sun stroke. We found out later in the day that Anita Longsborough had won a gold medal for England in the swimming - this cheered all our teams up.

The day of the road race soon arrived, I was down at the Olympic Village quite early, Eric met me at the gate and, after explaining my reason for being there we were let in. Eric and I picked up the bikes and gear for the four riders, Arthur Maxfield the team manager went to the road circuit by bus. On our arrival at the famous Car racing circuit, we checked the bikes and the spare wheels then went in to the pits, where a hell of a row was in progress between the race organisers (UCI) and our team manager. An England ladies cycle team had competed in the World Championships in East Germany the week before and had travelled down to Rome as spectators - two of the girls were close friends of the Olympic Team. They were in the pits when Arthur arrived and after greeting each other, the girls asked if they could help in any way. Arthur was pleased to accept and promptly set them. The rules clearly state that no women were allowed in the pits area, and this is what the kafuffle was about. Eric and I listened for a while and then decided to go on the other side of the circuit to the service bay with the wheels and spare bikes. (There was no following service car in those days so service personnel were spaced around the circuit).

The race eventually started and they kept together for several laps but eventually a breakaway formed on a slight uphill gradient, to our delight this contained our own Billy Holmes and Bill Bradley. With three laps to go, the official feeding time commenced – first attempts to pass the mussette to both Bills was unsuccessful so they had to wait till the next lap. So anxious was the helper Joe McLean to succeed this time, he ran out and the mussette swung into the front wheel of Billy Holmes fetching him off, Bill Bradley close behind could not avoid the hapless Billy and so they were both floored!! Bill Bradley was able to re-mount but Billy (Holmes) bike was too damaged. Fortunately an England Olympic trackman was standing close by with his road bike and was able to hand this to Billy, whilst they were both able to finish, too much time had been lost and they finished in the second group and out of the medal places.! I remembered the incidence but not the full details and so – 40 odd years later – I telephoned Billy Holmes to get clarification; Later I was speaking to Barry Hoban and mentioned the incident to him – he suprised me with the added information that he had been that England Olympic trackman and so it was on Barry’s bike that Billy had finished! Our old Peace Race rival Kapitanov of USSR won the gold medal, but it could have been so different. With the benefit of hind sight years, Eric and I should have supported Arthur Maxfield, after all he had hell of a task on his own. (I was to go with Arthur to the “Tour of Poland” in September 1962).

We eventually left the Frashetti circuit, I think all the team were in the car, we had no trouble entering the village, but I did have trouble finding my way back to the Monastery after I had taken the girls back to their “digs”. We went to an open air concert the evening before our depart, this was also part of the package. A large orchestra played and the vocalist being very good. He sang “Arriverderchi Roma” for his finale, pointing at Carol making crying signs. During our Rome visit we went to several camp sites and Youth Hostels to enquire the whereabouts of brother in law Peter, we were allowed the use of in house tannoy, all to no avail.

We left Rome early and by a different route on Monday morning, going by Siena and Florence, eventually staying the night in the Tirreno Port of La Spezia.We had dinner then a lovely evening walk round the naval area, a Navy band was playing on the sea front. The next morning we went to pay for our stay and food, we found we were out of - or at least had not got enough - Italian currency. In a discussion with the proprietor, we said we would wait until the Banks opened then we would change our English money ‘No’ said the man ‘we will make present to you, for Italia Anglia friendship’, we were overwhelmed by their kindness. I checked the map and decided to take the scenic coast road towards Genoa, instead of the new Autostrada. After being on this scenic road for about 10 mile we saw in the distance a touring cyclist, this turned out to be Jean’s brother Pete, we were all “gob smacked” he was completely speechless. We brewed tea on our calor gas stove, the first English brew he had drunk in months. After swapping stories and filling his saddle bag with food and fruit we bid him farewell (3 month elapsed before his return to England). We managed to bypass Genoa to Allesandria then up the Aousta valley and so over the petit St Bernard then on to the Grand St Bernard, we stayed at the Monastery hostel at the summit. This was another experience - the beds were like boxes, very high off the floor and you really did have to climb in to bed. From there we descended to Lausanne, calling at the same hotel as on our outward journey, the Swiss made us very welcome. We left Lausanne reverting to our outward journey and so home.

I returned to the shops which had again been doing well, priority had to be given to the Purchase Tax returns. The manufacturers and the Tax authorities had come up with a scheme whereas a Dealer paid for the motor cycle in full, the Purchase Tax need not be paid until the motor cycle was sold. A lot of motor cycles had been sold so a big cheque went off to the Inland Revenue. Autumn was soon upon us and this saw us walking in Derbyshire going up Bleaklow and Kindescout.

On the YHA side, regular Sunday (and when able, weekends) trips were made to the Peak District - an annual weekend event was to Ilam for Bonfire Night. A riotous Pantomime was performed by members prior to the fireworks, directed by “Tinsel” Allen wife of famous mountain climber “Nat” Allen and always a roaring success. 7 years previously (1953) and with 15 entrants, Derby Mercury’s annual Cross Country Race was born – originally between the cyclists and walkers of the Derby Mercury Running Club, it was intended to ‘run off’ the excesses of the previous bonfire night. A cross-country course of just under 5 miles, it would eventually reach national acclaim and become known as the ‘Dovedale Dash’. It started at Ilam Hall just before the main gate to Ilam YHA, the course going along side the River Dove to Thorpe, round Thorpe Cloud over the stepping stones in Dovedale and then return to Ilam YHA. The first event was won by that stalwart Ken Broadhurst of Derby Mercury. Now it has grown to a main International race and is run by the Peak National Park. In 2000 the number of runners was a massive 1,200 of all abilities.

#067 - 1960 - Life at Home

2008-03-20T12:31:00.002Z

After Dad died Mother took over part of the bookkeeping and did the Banking etc and trips to the Bank Manager, especially in the early days because our bank account was frozen, Dad having died in testate. She also travelled to Derby Vehicle Licence Office collecting road fund and driving licences, especially on a Friday so as customers would be able to have their vehicles for the weekend, she also often picked up spare parts from ‘Ingles of Derby’ who were then the BSA main dealers. She would travel by train to Derby and at that time she could visit her sister who lived on Oxford St., (now part of Derbyshire Royal Infirmary). When in their wisdom the Licence Authority moved to Matlock she made several trips by train there, then caught a bus to the top of a hill in Matlock to Smedleys Hydro which had been taken over by Derbyshire County Council. The County still have their meetings there but of course the Licence Authority has been transferred to Swansea.

Mum would check the bought ledger and make cheques out at the end of the month, for years we paid everyone at the end of the month following date of dispatch obtaining 2.5% discount, motor cycles which were paid within 14 days obtained a further 3.75% settlement discount. Paying people on time allowed us access to many short supply items. The shop was altered (we had bought the two properties next door knocking them in to an “N” shape building. Mother was then able to have a self contained flat up a separate staircase at the rear.

I personally owe a great debt to my Mother as having been born with clubfeet she was the one who carried me on her back to the station and so to hospital. In hindsight I can see I was spoilt to the detriment of my younger brother Ernie. He was two years younger than me and as my youngest brother was born 18 months after Ernie, he obviously being in the middle missed out on a lot of love as I was taking a lot of my Mothers time. When I was in hospital my Mother did not miss a visit, often coming by pedal cycle to Coleshill and Bretby. Both Alan and Ernie were left at home and, as Dad was full time in the shop, they had to make their own enjoyment. ( I will be honest this is the first time I have put these thoughts in to words and it makes me feel very humble)

Meanwhile Jean, Carol and I were living at the rear of the College Street premises with Ernie and Doreen and their three children Alan, Yvonne and Jeanette next door. There was always an undercurrent of jealousy, especially over money, one family thinking they were having the worst of the bargain. I had many an argument over my going abroad but our Tamworth Road business was doing twice as much as College Street. Ernie in the 1950’s did have a few trips to Eire where he and Bill Henshaw were treated as Internationals and rode at College Park (Trinity College), Ernie never missed a midweek International Football match of which there were many. He was also a Manchester United fan and travelled to their games, his young son Alan going along with him.

Family holidays were had each year mostly in the Bournemouth area, Keith my brother-in-law and his family were stopping nearby so we could get together for beach football and cricket. In the evenings we went to the Bournemouth Symphony Hall Concerts held, if weather permitted, outside. The skating extravagances were also top rate as were the swimming galas. The years slipped by, I would not say that Jean and I were the best of partners she having a vile temper, still we got along. I do not suppose I was the best person to get along with, never on time for meals etc.

#066 - 1960 - Tour of Tunisia

2008-03-19T13:29:00.002Z

In March 1960 I received an invite from the BCF to go as mechanic to the “Tour of Tunisia” The team would be

Alan Jacobs
Bill Baty
Norman Baty
Norman Taylor
Ray Leivers
Mick Coupe

Manager would be Bob Maitland. I wrote to each rider and got particulars of their equipment, and by now my own tools and parts were always ready. I was apprehensive about Bob because when we were in Eire for the 1950 Dublin-Galway-Dublin International he was there on an ‘expenses paid trip’ as a star English International and he would have nothing to do with us. Anyway at the time he was a representative for (if I remember rightly) Fibrax and one or two firms. Bob rang me and arranged a lunch date at the Royal Hotel. The day came and I had the usual trouble getting away, we discussed the forthcoming tour but his main objective seemed to be to try and sell me his wares. I was not having any of this, but he still wangled for me to pay for the lunch.

The day dawned when we all met at Doughty Street at the BCF headquarters, now well accustomed to the routine, I bought some coat and lapel badges to be given in return for any favour done to us on the coming Tour. We weighed in at South Kensington Air Terminus and so on to Heathrow where we eventually set off on an old two-tier Bristol Freighter for Paris. Here we picked up the Dutch, French, East German and Belgian teams. We landed at Tunis late afternoon. What a transformation from Paris, the bus the officials put our team in had animals and chickens and bikes and luggage on the top - I do not know how it moved at all. We were taken quite a way from Tunis to stay at an ex-French Foreign Legion Camp, already there were the friendly Yugoslavian team who showed us the “ropes”.

In the adjacent camp were Algerian soldiers training for the fighting in Algeria against the French. For team cars the authorities provided us with small Fiat four door models and an Arab driver. Luckily Bob spoke French so we were able to converse with him. We rode down to the start at mid-day, where it eventually got underway ¾ hour late much to Bob’s annoyance. The stage was fairly flat with drags and Alan Jacobs got away with a small group, when we were about 10 mile from the finish in Sfax the heavens opened and it poured down with rain. In the finishing straight it must have been 6” deep, Alan Jacobs won the “sprint”. The rain was still tippling down and with no gutters or drains the road was flooded. We stayed on higher ground in an ex-French Foreign Legion Barracks, collecting our mattresses from a pile in the corner of the dusty Nissan type hut, blankets were provided but no sheets, so everyone slept on the floor wearing their track suits, even the race officials had the same basic accommodation. (Can you imagine our ‘blazer brigade’ doing this). Much to our misbelieve the food was excellent. I found a place to do the bikes, Alan Jacobs had complained of squeaky bottom bracket. On stripping this I found both Campag ball races had disintegrated. I washed it out and fitted loose balls with plenty of Filtrate high melting point grease (still using this tin to-day at home 2001).

Bob was doing a good job massaging the legs and doing the feeding bags and bottles, I had bought bottles of “Milton” to clean and sterilise our feeding bottles. We also bought with us water purifying tablets, personally I had no trouble but unfortunately Bill Baty and Alan Jacobs would to have to retire with a touch of dysentery.

The next stage was from Sfax-Sousse, I cannot remember any major happenings with our team apart from the fact that Bill and Alan were ill. Bill had all the bunch, irrespective of nationality saying a current catch-phrase in the UK - “Charley Brown is a Clown”. When Bill had to “pack” you could hear going round the peloton ‘Charley Brown Kaput’. The next stage was from Souse to Sfax, along the coast towards the desert at Gabes, Alan was suffering with his dysentery finishing well down, and he retired the next day. After his first day holding the yellow jersey we had high hopes of him. Alan was to turn pro later in his career and do quite well.

Norman Baty surprised us by his prowess in the hills, he was a terrible descender though, taking both feet out of the clips trailing one foot on the road, frightening to watch. We were in the lovely town of Kairouvan and this was a rest day. We were hoping that Alan and Bill would recover, but the Doctor gave them a “jab”, which made them worse. We turned tourist in the afternoon visiting the Mosque which we found very interesting. We also entered a Carpet shop, the proprietor was very efficient showing all his wares until he found out we were English, he almost threw us out of his shop. Wondering how we could have instilled such a reaction, we went back with someone who could interpret for us. After the shop keeper had calmed down he gave us a bit of history. In 1943 when the Germans were there the Luftwaffe and Wehrmact airmen and soldiers were very polite and paid for all goods and had them dispatched to Germany. Later in 1943 the English arrived and, he alleged, ransacked his shop stealing his carpets, hence his temper with us. We were the first English to visit since then.

We stayed in good accommodation in Kairoan and the cuisine was good. The facilities for mechanics were also first class. The following day saw us climbing the Kasserine Pass, this was where the Americans took a pounding from Rommel in 1943. We stayed the night at Kasserine, again in French Foreign Legion Nissan type huts.

When I was 14 years old I had borrowed a book from Long Eaton library by ex-legionnaire Waterhouse, an Englishman who had enlisted at Sidi Bel Abbes in Algeria, in the book he describes the murals painted on the walls. I was lying there with the book coming to life. Actually the barracks were ex Foreign Legion as Tunisia obtained independence from France in 1956.

The race then went up north to Tabarka and on to the French Naval port at Biserta, we were not received to well here either, due to the fact that in 1940 the British fleet had sunk half the French Navy to prevent it falling into Germans hands, in the process the town was damaged. From Biserta to the finish at Tunis and we were delighted with the form of Norman Baty - he finished 2^nd in the sprint. We were in Tunis 2 days and the day before we left we were invited to the British Embassy at Cap Bon. We were entertained very well and in a lull in the conversation the Ambassador asked if anyone cared to visit Alexander’s city at Cathage, if so he would arrange a car, amazing as it may seem only two of us took up the offer, an interpreter and myself. The trip was very interesting, Cap Bon was where the German Africa Corp under General Armin surrendered to General Montgomery in 1943.

We flew home the following day in the same Bristol Freighter via Paris to London. An amusing incident happened immediately on take off from Tunis - a cheer went up from all on board, no one had led it but it was a spontaneous response from us all, we were so pleased to get away.

#065 - 1959 - Tour of Sweden

2008-03-19T13:13:00.007Z

At the end of 1959 I was asked to go to the Tour of Sweden which I accepted promptly, the team was

Bill Bradley
Ernie Scally
John Perks
Kenny Laidlaw

The Manager was Ken Ryall who had a cycle shop in Surrey and masseur was again that great Finn Arne Lundgren who had been masseur in 1956 and the successful year of 1958 when Stan had won the event.. We again went by train and boat, this time from Tilbury to Esberg in Denmark then by train to Ellsinore, across the ferry to Helsinborg in Sweden, where we had a meal near the Shakespeare Castle.

We were sat outside this restaurant when a van pulled up and the driver got out the van, coming over to to ask if we were the British team, it appears Ken Ryall had made a deal for us to ride frames by the name of “Champion”. As we had got two days before the start. I rigged up my portable bike stand and changed the frames around. I wonder why Team Managers think we have nothing to do.

The race started in Varbreg, home of the famous manufacture “Monark” motorcycles and bikes. Most of the Swedish riders rode for “Monark” in blue or “ Crescent” in yellow. “Monark” headquarters was in a medieval castle and all the race personnel and riders were invited to a dinner held in the jousting Hall, and all the castle staff were dressed in period costume, the food and wine were superior. Even the dungeons had prisoners which looked so realistic, our interpreter drew us over to an underground cell and inside there was two ‘prisoners’ in chains! (We had very good interpreters in Sweden, this one I had met 2 years previous) After dinner came entertainment ending up in the castle grounds with a massive sing song round a campfire. Sitting by me at the “sing song” I was introduced to Kate Jobson who had recently won a silver medal at the Olympics in Helsinki. Her dad was Swedish and her mother English, Kate took me to her training pool and to her home, what a terrific ambassador to Sweden she was. Unfortunately during the winter 1959/60 while skiing in the mountains she fell and broke her back, what a tragedy. She with two more Swedish athletes rode from the ceremonial start to the proper start on the edge of Varberg.

Unfortunately I cannot recall the route we took in Sweden, I remember the road surface was bad as we seemed to be on non-tarmac roads, apart from the towns. The team rode well but nothing like the 1957/8 had done . Bill Bradley repeated his Peace Race win with one on his own in Sweden. The team rode quite well. After the race Ernie Scally and Kenny Laidlaw bought super leather jackets with their prize money. We again caught a boat to the island of Skansen with its live Agricultural Museum.

We caught the Helsinki-Stockholm-Copenhagen-Paris-Rome express quite an experience as we had sleeping apartments, we were in Copenhagen well in time for us to look round this historic city, and of course the famous fair. Eventually we caught the train to Esberg and so on the boat to Tilbury. Quite an interesting trip and better than flying. The team had knitted well to-gether, the two Scotch lads being good comedians, Bill Bradley was a good tactician and “Porky” Perks a good sprinter and Ken Ryall was a good organiser. Bill Bradley was to go on to win quite a few English Milk Races as well as breaking the record for the fastest rider up the “Gross Glockner Pass in Austria, he also finished 10^th (no mean achievement) in the 1960.Peace Race.

Back home the business was prospering the 1945 birth bulge allowed us to have a bumper year for bikes mostly for 13-14 year olds, this bulge is still the highest age group for sales of goods even to-day for 50-55 year olds. We had this group buying scooters and motorcycles and the cars and now a few “oldies” are buying the new range of high powered motorcycles.

Early 1960 saw us selling quite a few motorcycles, scooters and mopeds to “L” drivers. We would not let anyone away from our shop unless they could handle their machines fairly reasonably and we would give these riders instruction in a quiet side street next to our shop, The procedure we adopted in this learning was to make the customer familiar with the controls especially the throttle/clutch in bottom gear, then we would take them on the pillion and after a few splutters they were off on their own as soon as we deemed it proficient.

At the corner of the street near the main road a new family moved in and on cold mornings the young lady of the house would take pity on us and made us hot, milky coffee to keep us warm. Little did I know that I would fall in love with this girl and after much, much heart ache came extreme pleasure. (We came to-gether in 1972 and were married in 1977. A complete book could be written on this period alone but it would be shelved in the ‘Fiction section’) !

Pete, one of my brothers-in-law had set out early in the year with two friends on a European trip which would eventually finish up at the Rome Olympics, where they had bought tickets for the Opening Ceremony and various events including “Cycling”. Three of them set out, but after crossing in to Yugoslavia from Bari to Split one of Pete’s companions had to fly home due to his father being seriously ill. In error he bought all the tickets home, he had no idea how to get the tickets back to his companions, and so to avoid wasting them gave us the tickets.

#064 - 1958 - Peace Race - Part 3

2008-03-12T15:51:00.001Z

The “rest day” was at Chemnitz, then called Karl Marx Stadt. After doing the bikes in the morning, now down to five, the lads had a small ride followed by a light massage. In the afternoon we were invited to a chocolate factory and found it very interesting. We also had a good time at a party arranged for us in the canteen, dancing with the office staff as well took our minds off the race. We also were given lovely presents and all the “smarties” we wanted. In return I had bought a load of BCF England lapel and blazer badges which I presented to the staff.

The metal badges made by Fattorni in Birmingham where a great hit. Next morning we were back for the third time in Czechoslovakia, my favourite of the three countries. After two days in Czech, Bill Bradley won the stage in to Brno - a brilliant ride and we were ecstatic. We should have got a place in the first three the next day, Brian was away with a group of three, but just prior to the stadium finish there is a short rise, Brian jumped the two but then his chain missed a couple of sprockets and all was lost, he was caught by another group on the cinder track. I took the blame.

Before the evening banquet a large television set was put in the main lounge. Celtic were playing a Dutch team in the European Cup Football, the place was packed and the atmosphere terrific especially as Celtic won. The next day UCI Representative (and Scottish Cycle Union Rep), Arthur Campbell and I were invited to the houses of my Czech friends Milan Perich and the race doctor, Merek Slavic. We all had a great day together, and after a few drinks we were singing all the old Scottish melodies, Arthur was our accompanist on his mouth organ. Wives Vera and Magda were excellent hosts. We flew from Prague in high spirits being met at the airport by the President of the BCF and some staff, Ernie’s wife and a few more. With Stan 9^th , Owen 12^th and Bill 17^th that was an excellent finishing position for the team.

I had won and been presented with so many souvenirs that I filled completely one of those four wheel trolleys at the railway station! and was pretty laden down with my spares, bike, tools and special case (my nephew Alan collected me from Nottingham in our Ford 5cwt van).

Back to work with a bump again and of course pleased to see we were still busy, both repair shops were ‘up to the neck in it’ and we had to set on another mechanic, Steve Waplington, He was to be a good assembler when the crated Hondas came along in 1964, (he now works for Roy Pidcock Motor Cycles doing almost the same job).

Nottingham Track League had changed to Harvey Hadden stadium which was a tarmac track 3^rd of a mile in circumference , to big really. I went down with my track bike tools and Dunlop brass double-acting foot pump. I thought I was going to get a ride, but I seemed to blowing every body’s tyres up and doing little jobs like truing wheels etc. I did eventually get a ride in the 5 mile scratch, I tried my usual jump with 4 laps to go but nothing happened, apart from a few rides on the tandem with Eric Thompson who thought I would be OK as his partner for he had just lost Peter Brotherton, my work commitments were to heavy to give up time for tandem training, I was 36 anyway and flattered. I suggested Geoff Cooke.

#063 - 1958 - Peace Race - Part 2

2008-03-12T15:47:00.001Z

The night before the start of the event Tom came to see me in my bike room, I had just finished the bikes, it would be about 9pm, Tom asked if I fancied a drink and suggested we went away from our hotel and into the city. I said that I had been to Warsaw twice before but never out on the town.

“Well” says Tom “I have spoken to a taxi driver out front and he says he can take us to a nightclub, lets go for an hour. We have been working hard these last few days so come on”. I was soon changed and down stairs for a taxi to take us to this nightclub. We were dropped outside a large city store which I had shopped in for souvenirs last year, a shop selling Russian goods all duty free, but I had never known of the club at the top of this store.

Up the lift we went, it was more like a Pub than a night club, we sat down and ordered two beers, planning to have a couple then return to the hotel. Three Polish Army officers came in one of whom could speak English and they sat at our table. They kept ordering Vodka so much that in no time these three officers were drunk and lying under the table. We were then presented with a bill for all the Vodka, it appears that these officers had told the waiter that we would pay for the lot. The proprietors were on the verge of fetching the police and we had visions of an international incident, when a couple from two tables away came to our rescue. One of these gentlemen was a Polish ex Royal Air Force man and he explained the problem to the hotelier and as soon as everyone knew we were on the Peace Race and English we got a big cheer, we left soon after, a nasty incident being avoided.

The first stage was a hard, fast one with no hills to break it up, a small group of three did get away on the long, twisty park paths before we crossed the river to finish in the magnificent stadium at Praga. The three who had escaped were 1^st - Barriveira (Italy) from Bebebin (USSR) while 3^rd was that old pal of ours Kapitanow (USSR). We were in the prizes winning third team award.

Praga was where the Russian Army stopped in late 1944 and the Warsaw rising started, we had been to the ghetto the previous two days before, there was a new memorial for the Poles who had died - there it was very moving.

The team were riding well, we had at least three riders in the first 20 most days, so as the first twenty had prizes we were not doing to badly. Doing a bike change one day Ernie Clements casually looked down at the bike and shouted to me “Alf, look here” I followed his gaze and found that I had fitted a pair of toe clips upside down on the spare pedals that I always carried in the car. We instructed our driver to go forward to give me time to change them round, I was then able to give the rider a bike he could get his shoes in!! a close shave that was. Damen (Holland) was race leader in Poland with Russia winning the team.

In to Germany going from Breslau to Gorlitz we won the 3^rd daily team prize and on the next stage from Gorlitz to Berlin, Stan was second to that great DDR man Adler, the rest of the team riding well. Gill Taylor had a crash injuring himself so much he was unable to start the next day. His frame had a bent top and down tube and was a write off. We had with us a spare frame (lent by Coventry Eagle) and not knowing whether Gill would be on the start line the next day, I could take no chances, so in the evening I changed all his gear on to the Coventry Eagle, Gill came to the mechanics room after dinner, and he asked that I remove the heavy badge of the front which I did, to the consternation of Ernie Clements who I had forgot worked for Coventry Eagle at Smethwick.

At the end of our stay in Germany we were 6^th in the team competition and had three in the first 20 overall, John Pound and Brian Haskell going well. I had to tell Brian that his chain and freewheel had shot it, “Have you got any Perry chains” he asked, I had with me the world’s best “Brampton” a French subsidiary of Renold, England, but Brian rode as a professional for Perry and he would not let me carry out the repair with the Brampton chain. (Years later I would have fitted these parts and argue after - “fait accompli”).

#062 - 1958 - Peace Race - Part 1

2008-03-12T15:17:00.003Z

2 weeks prior to us leaving, Johnny Dennis had to pull out unexpectedly and a new team manager had to be found, I was hoping that I would be chosen but Ernie Clements was appointed, Tommy Egglestone who was with Watford Football Club at the time accepting the appointment as masseur, (he would eventually move to Sheffield Wednesday (Masseur) and then on to Everton), Tom was a very good man and to enter his massage room was a tonic in its self. The team was the now familiar

Stan Brittain,
Owen Blower,
Brian Haskell,
John Pound,
Bill Bradley
Gill Taylor,

I had written each rider in turn to ascertain brakes, freewheel and pedal type etc.

I was able to obtain Fiamme rims from Tabucchi Tyre Co, from British Hub Co Ltd “Airlite” Q/R hubs, Coventry Swaging gave us the spokes and nipples. Handlebar bar tape was donated by Ron Kitching and tubular tyres with the new No.2 and No.3 type as well as the old No.5. were given by the Dunlop Rubber Company. We had 60 tyres in all, in fact in error we had collected tyres that were meant to be donated for the whole of season 1958. To pack these tyres I bought a strong case with a good lock.

It was a lovely spring 1958, a lot of warm sun, I was able to sit outside and build 9 pair of these wheels. I delivered the wheels personally to the riders and so at the same time was able to re-acquaint myself with them. I knew them all apart from Gill Taylor and he was very easy to get along with. Came the great day of leaving Heathrow, I had checked all the bags and bikes and saw them on the plane, handing the receipt labels to Ernie Clements. We flew to Warsaw Airport, where the race was starting that year. We sorted the bikes and baggage out only to find out that Ernie had lost the receipt tags. That was only the first cockup, somehow we had lost two bags as well and I shot off to find them, and did eventually get this sorted out. I think Ernie thought I was taking over and reminded me that he was in charge, so I left him to sort out the bags and bikes to be put on the coach. He succeeded in losing one bike and 2 cases between the airport and hotel – I was detailed to go and find them, which I did! (the 2 cases had been delivered to the wrong room and the bike was out side the lift).

We stopped in the magnificent Hotel Warsaw and were all together on the 2^nd floor, each floor had two maids who would attend to any sewing and ironing, and they were a great help. We had landed late at Warsaw and after the preliminaries of meeting several of the race committee and our Polish Interpreter, (who by now was a good friend to past riders - only Ernie, Tom and Gill were new to him). Dinner was ready on our arrival where we again met a lot of old friends. Several race officials came to see me officially, and I should have referred and introduced them to Ernie, but I was happy to bask in the glory of recognition and I was still jealous that I had not been chosen for team manager! although I was able to answer all their queries.

By my way of thinking, I was experienced in this work, this being my third Peace Race. I had also been on the Tour of Eire 3 times and to the Tour Sweden. As far as I was aware, Ernie had been Manager on the Tour of Scotland in 1957. His riding days were far more widely ranging and successful than mine, but being a top class rider does not always make a good official. This is the first time I have thought of this in this manner - in hindsight

After dinner I donned overalls then down to my mechanics room. I was able to brief Ernie on the initial routine and that the interpreter would take him to the race Headquarters where he would be given frame and jersey numbers and spending money to the equivalent of about £4 a day whilst we were in Poland. He would also be given a race ‘bible’ and also some souvenirs, I also advised him that he would be expected to sort out the food menu for the whole fortnight and it was better to do this with the aid of the riders.

He (Ernie) enjoyed the “Bonhomie” with the other managers and officials, socialising and drinking too much, (some do). He forgot the menus even though his interpreter tried to tell him, and did them himself in haste.. The error was compounded when, after 3 days of the same fare, the English riders found that Ernie had ordered the same food every day, that included steak for dinner, - ideal, but not to have every day. To alter the menus is very difficult as food has to be ordered well in advance, consequently we were not the best thought of team on the race. Nor were we very happy. Good job the masseur who knew his job and kept the lads moral up by his very quick wit and his tales with the football teams. He actually played for Derby County in 1948, and Derby being FA cup winners in 1946/7 season had invites to play from all over Europe and had been to Warsaw.

#061 - 1957 - Peace Race - Stage 6 - 13

2008-03-12T14:58:00.004Z

Stage 6 - Karl MarStadt to Leipzig 161km - Another bad day for our team losing minutes to all our highly placed competitors and also losing our high position in the Team general classification, on a higher note the team were riding well together and having no trouble. Christoff was still race leader from Proost, Team general class was held by France 3min 44secs from Poland, Belgium 3^rd at 8min 41secs.

Stage 7 Leipzig-Berlin 207km - I cannot remember much about this stage apart from Van Tongerlloo (Belgium) winning the stage. You will notice that the Belgians were well up winning prizes, their Director Technique was Lucian Acou the famous six day rider, (we were to be great friends in later years, his daughter in the future was to marry Eddy Merck). Christoff was still race leader from Proost (Belgium), with Kapitanow (USSR) 3^rd. Accommodation in Berlin was at best basic staying in a school, bike facilities were very good.

Stage 8 - Berlin – Gorlitz 225km. - We were still struggling to make further progress but could not make much impression, although we were still finishing well together. Butzen (Denmark) won the event with their team winning the daily team prize. Overall, the first three places remained the same, Poland winning the team classification.

A further rest day was held at Gorlitz, we were entertained at a factory making Schnapps. We had a great time there, all racing worries forgotten.

Stage 9 - Gorlitz-Wroclawi (Breslau) 188km. - After the disappointments of the previous 4 days in Germany, we entered Poland and for once our team plan worked , a good break developed this time without Christoff. Stan won the stage from Costantin Dimitrescu (remembered by his black socks) 3^rd was Kapitanow (USSR). England were again the daily team leaders, Kapitanow (USSR) who had been in the break with Stan ,Owen and Bill became race leader 1min 15sec from 2^nd place Christoff, with Proost now 3^rd at 1min 52secs. Poland were still overall Team Leaders.

Everything seems to be so much better when the team are going well. To-night was no exception, I had helped another rider in trouble (the details escapes my memory now) for which I was presented with a decorative basket which contained 20 bottles of Riesling. My foreign mechanic mates and I soon polished this off!

Stage 10 - Wroclaw-Katowice 201 km - Another 125km stage through the industrial heartland of Poland, similar to 1955 everyone was black with coal dust. We combined with Swedish and Danish teams to try and shake off Christoff but did not succeed - at least we tried. Stan moved up to 2^nd place at 6min 32secs with Frenchman Boudon 3^rd at 8min 46secs.

The stadium where the race finished was the same cinder heap of 2 years previous, but what a transformation, it had seats for 80,000 people and all broadcasting, newspaper and TV technical equipment. A park had been laid and also overhead cable cars linking to Katowice City. A complete transformation from 1955. Our accommodation was at Nowy Huta a new town not far from the historic walled city of Cracow. Alan Jackson had to retire to-day suffering from acute saddle boils.

Stage 11 - Katowice-Lodz 215km - The Swedes, Danes and the DDR Teams attacked us and the Bulgarians to try to win the race on this penultimate day. As this was a comparatively flat stage there was a large bunch finish, the last few miles to the stadium was over the dreaded sea-bed boulder road, general class remained the same with Christoff being 6min 32secs up on Stan with Prusti (Poland) jumping up to 3^rd at 9min 59secs. We were in the same hotel as 1955 and Stan had all the adulation when he appeared on the balcony, we were happy to bask in his glory.

Stage 12 - Lodz-Warsaw 140km - Nothing much to report about this final stage, normally as last stages go - nobody wanted to know. Tscherepowich (URRS) won the stage in the magnificent stadium near the river, from Wieckowski Poland 2^nd and Kapitanow 3^rd. (Kapitanow was to win the gold road race medal in the Rome Olympics 1960) Christoff was winner overall with Stan 2^nd at 6min27secs and Kapitanhow (USSR) 3^rd at 11min37secs. Our team were a creditable 6^th 46min39secs behind DDR. Owen Blower was 19^th overall, Dick McNeil (winner of Quaker Oats Tour Britain), Karl Goff and Jimmy Rae all finished with credit. On our return to London we were actually met by a crowd of well wishers, which was a lovely welcome home. All I could say was - “Very good luck and all the best for the future”

On return to England I sent “Thank You” letters to the British Hub Company for hubs, Cyclo Gear Company Ltd for Mk12 gears, (I was amazed how this gear had stood up to the conditions). I also wrote to Gerry Burgess for the supply of new brakes and spares. The shop was prospering, the staff had really been working hard. I took them all out for dinner on my return.

That tour was my only trip in 1957 owing to business being so good (should not grumble at that) Johnny Dennis who had been our very able Manager, tried to keep this team together but on his appointment to editor of a new cycle magazine he was unable to continue.

#060 - 1957 - Peace Race - Stage 1 - 5

2008-03-12T14:45:00.004Z

Stage 1 - Prague- Brno 224km - On the first day our team set off in fine style, Jimmy Rae just getting beat on the line finishing in 3^rd place, Stan, Owen and Dick McNeil were chasing in the leading group only 25secs back, this was quite a long stage, England were 2^nd Team to the Poles at 49secs with the Belgian at 1min 11secs, a good start for us and no mechanical problems. Accommodation and food in Brno backed by the methodical Czech organisation, was as usual first rate.

Stage 2 - Brno to Tabor 177km. - We worked well as a Team, Stan winning the sprint on the cinder track at Tabor and the Team won the daily prize, Stan was holding 2^nd place overhaul, he being 27sec behind Christoff (Bulgaria) with Van Tongerloo (Belgian) 3^rd 1mim08secs, England were 2^nd in overall 48secs behind Poland with the Belgians 3^rd at 2min 18secs. Food and accommodation were again top class - they always were in Czkoslovakia.

A little background information about feeding arrangements:

Everyone is given a menu for the duration of the race. The Team Manager is given the list of Menu’s with three choices for each meal, which were Breakfast, (light) lunch before a stage, and the evening meal plus any special food during race, and drinks of course. Ideally, the Team Manager would choose the meals with the help of all the team, it is after all very important. Also each rider and official was given a book of tickets for breakfast, lunch and dinner and drinks, the Restaurants were then able to get paid on production of the tickets. The system worked well so long as the rider brought his ticket, because the waiters would not serve you even if only one of your party had left his book in his room. By the time I became Team Manager I had experience of the chaos that this could cause if not well managed, and I decided to take full charge of all my team’s books – we had no further problems with riders not having their tickets!

Stage 3 - Tabor to Prague 160km.- We rode quite well in this stage Stan again picking up early primes, all the team finished in a big group some 5min 36secs down on the stage winner Christoff (Bulgaria). On the stage we were 3^rd in the team and on general class we were in the lead from France by 3min 06secs, 3^rd Belgium at 9min 08secs.

Stage 4 - Prague to Karl Ovey Vary 174km - Owen Blower punctured on this stage but after slick change of wheels he was soon back in the group, Proost (Belgium) won the stage putting him 2^nd on general class behind race leader Christoph (Bulgaria). We were still holding General Class leading team into Karlovy Vary and it was so satisfying to see England in the blue ‘team leaders’ jerseys, the first time since 1952. At last the preparation at the training camp in Wales was beginning to pay off. Another good day for us and we were in high spirits being very satisfied by our efforts during the first four days We were back at the Continental 1^st class Hotel which also added to the high morale. The weather changed for the worse, temperatures falling bringing rain.

On the rest day I had risen early to work on the bikes for a few hours, we had all been invited to visit a Crystal Manufacturer. The staff entertaining us, we were all presented with some exquisite cut glass. After we came back from the Crystal Glass works, we went down to the warehouse where the prizes were kept. Stan’s stage win prize at Tabor was a motor cycle. The chaps in charge of the prizes unpacked this and put in petrol – and I was up the road on it no time, Stan was able to sell this machine on his return home to Liverpool.

The team had a small workout in the evening then in to dinner with a super orchestra playing Glenn Miller and this music relaxed us all. We were soon in to our routine.

Stage 5 - Karlovey Vary to Karl Marx Stadt (Chemnitz) 140km - This stage took us over the mountains and we had a disastrous day, punctures abounded, the Germans, Russians and Poles attacked us taking with them the race leader Christoff (Bulgaria). Although our Team got together they lost 10mins+. The team classification was lead now by France leading Poland by 5min 56secs with Belgium at 8min 42secs, we had taken a right pounding and there was some glum faces that night. John Dennis pulled them round at the race meeting after dinner, getting good plans set for the next day we hoped for some better fortune but none was to come. The weather changed to snow and ice which did not help.

#059 - 1957 - Peace Race

2008-03-12T14:27:00.002Z

Early in 1957 I received an invitation to go on the Peace Race which would start in Prague, the team was to be:

Stan Brittain,
Owen Blower,
Dick McNeil,
Karl Gough,
Alan Jackson (bronze medallist in the Melbourne Olympics)
Scotsman Jimmy Rae.

John Dennis was to be Manager, Alan Hodgson masseur and with me as mechanic - I wrote accepting the invite.

Writing to each rider to get particulars I found that all - apart from Stan - had signed up to ride Cyclo Mk12 gears and G.B. brakes. Stan rode Simplex 543 gear mechanism and G.B.brakes, they had either 5 or six freewheels, I insisted that they all ride 6speed. Cyclo Gear Company sent me a supply of gear parts, GB helping with a spares kit for the brakes (John Dennis was their Sales Manager at the time).

Stan had arranged a training camp in Wales and the team were to stay at a cottage owned by Eddie Soens, it was situated right off the A5 in hills near Llangollen. I went along one afternoon/evening looking over the bikes so to have all the necessary tools and spare parts to meet any mechanical problem. I knew Owen and Stan but had not met Dick McNeil, Karl Gough or Jimmy Rae, so this was a good opportunity to chat with these three and so form a good comradeship before we met at Heathrow Airport. My young nephew Alan came with me on this 180 mile journey for company - little did we know that 45 years hence he would be mechanic for English amateur teams going to Seoul Olympics and commonwealth games in Perth, Australia (then to fall out with the BCF as I did in 1971).

I knew things were going to be different because when we met up at Heathrow the bikes were stripped and ready to be put aboard the aircraft. British European Airways were now flying in to Prague, gone for us was the old Mk1 Dakota. We arrived OK in Prague, staying at a new hotel - the Continental. I did the usual job on the bikes, making all wheels interchangeable, most were on Airlite hubs, quick release of course. The Q/r spindles on these ‘Airlite’ hubs were weak, so I bought 10 sets of Campagnolo spindles from Holdsworth. Carpenter cycles turned these Campag spindles down as they were slightly thick, but we found them much stronger.

Our driver had been changed at the last minute, our old pal Fritz being taken ill but his replacement proved to be just as good. Doctor Slavic of the Czech National Team met us at the Airport, we had made great friends with him in previous years, and this friendship and help lasted for many years. His knowledge of French, German, Russian and of course English was extensive, (He was eventually to practice in the University Teaching Hospitals in Glasgow and Nottingham).

We went out training the two days before the start mostly by the side of the River Moldau taking in the road as the first stage towards Brno, I think Stan was checking the prime towns, he was to win most of them in two days time

#058 - 1957 - Lake District

2008-03-12T14:22:00.001Z

In the winter of 1957 brother-in-law Keith and I had a long weekend in the Lake District and again we stayed with Mrs Edmunds at Walloway Farm. On this particular day we had a leisurely large breakfast then drove to Keswick leaving the car at Seathwaite. We set off up the Langtrath crossing the stream in the valley to make our way up Bow Fell. We had broken every rule in the ‘fell walking’ book that day,

1) we had not told Mrs Edmunds or anyone else where we were going,

2) we set off too late in the day

3) we had no provisions other than a light lunch

4) No compass or torch

The only thing we had got right was our clothing and boots.

We climbed Bow Fell and ate our packed lunch at Angle Tarn, we then continued to Eskhause – our intention being to go to Buttermere but we somehow finished up hopelessly lost on Scarfell Pike. We had earlier seen a lone walker crossing a stream and we called to each other exchanging cordial greetings, we were to read in the local paper a couple of days later that a man – a doctor - had died on that day, lost the same as us. From the description given we realised that it was the same man we had called to!!

By now it was almost dark, we followed the stone cairns but even then we seemed to be going round in circles, we eventually found ourselves back at Angle Tarn, and in the distance we could see the large well lit window – shining like a beacon for fools such as us - at the Dungeon Gill Hotel. We came down Rossett Gill which was no mean task at night. We walked in the pub where - without a word - some walkers we had seen descending hours ago, bought us double rum each, we had two more rums then we rang Mrs Edmunds who obviously was out of her mind. It was now past 9 p.m.

Mr Edmunds set off on the long drive over the Kirkstone pass, through Ambleside and so on to the Dungeon Gill Hotel where he picked us up, drove to Keswick and on to Seathwaite to pick up our car. When we got back to the farm a full dinner was ready for us as well as pewter pots filled with whiskey and waiting for a red hot poker to be inserted. How well they treated us, I stayed in bed the next day as I had damaged by knee badly (again).We did walk the day after but on the flat this time to the beautiful village of Whatendleth, only walking up to view the memorial and the panoramic setting of wonderful Derwent Water. We sat for a while contemplating what might have been and how damned lucky we were not to be – at least – injured or at worst deceased! We had more respect next time............

The gymnasium class was still successful, in fact so many coming we had to run two classes, one at Roper School and one at the Secondary Modern. We also had a good basket ball team and we challenged Long Eaton basket ball team to a match. We easily beat them and the poor sports would not play us again, they did not fancy being beaten by a load of cyclists.

#057 - 1956 - Tour of Sweden

2008-03-12T13:57:00.006Z

In August 1956 I was invited to go on the “Tour of Sweden”. The team was made up of:

Stan Brittain,
Owen Blower,
Doug Collins
Peter Ward

The team manager was Johnny Dennis and he was the best manager I was to go with. We left by train from St Pancras then on to Tilbury where we boarded a Swedish-Lloyd boat bound for Gothenburg. The voyage took one and half days. Stan did not travel with us as he was riding in the “Star” race in Copenhagen (he won this).. We had a talk on board ship regards tactics for the forthcoming race. Pete Ward saying we would be O.K. when we got to Orebro as his wife would meet us there and would be able to wash bottles and assist etc. I dismissed this at the time thinking I was hearing wrong, as it was unknown for wives or girlfriends to accompany their partners on cycle races. We eventually landed at Gutenberg transferred to a modern electric train to Varberg where we boarded a small steam train with an observation car, which we enjoyed enormously. We stayed in marvellous accommodation at a hotel in the woods. Food was good too and we had venison for dinner that evening.

The next day we had smorgasbord breakfast which was first class, I had risen early about 5.30am to sort the bikes out, i.e. making wheels interchange etc. The team went out training thro this marvellous scenery, a Finnish masseur joined us in Varberg, his name was Arne Ludgren, and he had won a medal in Helsinki Olympics for walking. What a fabulous man he was, he did everything for the rider, with John Dennis being a good manager and me on the bikes we looked forward to a good Tour.

The race was run over six days starting in Philipstadt then round the lakes embracing Husqvarna, Motala and Orebro then up to the university town of Uppsala to finish in the Olympic Stadium in Stockholm. With two days to go and Stan leading the race, the rest of the field (all Scandinavians) attacked Stan in to Uppsala putting him back to 4^th place. We had lost Pete Ward in Orebro – he had come down heavily in the tram lines and unfortunately breaking his arm. He had on previous days helped Stan by working with Owen and Doug to protect Stan’s lead.

We stayed in a super Motel in Uppsala, we mechanics working all together in one garage, I was invited to have a drink with them after our work was completed, and they commiserated at the way Stan had been ‘worked over’. Out came the schnapps and we had a great night. The last day was a Time Trial finishing in the Olympic Stadium, Stan rode the race of his life pulling up to 3^rd place. (the race winner was so ashamed of the way he had won that he bought Stan an expensive leather jacket in recompense. Stan was to get ‘even’ the following year by winning the race).

Pete Ward and his wife, who had caught up this us in Orebro and had accompanied Pete to hospital following his crash, went on ahead to Stockholm to our allocated hotel. When we reached the hotel John Dennis and I found we were in a small room, we thought this was strange. We then found out that Pete and his wife had taken our room, John blew his top and soon had things changed round. Before returning to England we spent the day in Stockholm going across to the farm museum called Skansen, everyone and everything going back 100 years.

We left by train for Gothenburg then by boat to Tilbury, saying a sad goodbye to Arne who went north to Helsinki.

There was plenty of work to catch up with on my return, quite a few pairs of wheels to build and also gaining in popularity were motorcycle wheels with Dunlop and Fiamme rims. Special self-built “Triton” motorcycles had become popular - i.e. Triumph 650cc engines with Norton “Featherbed” frames and “Road holder Forks” and so the demand for Norton and Triumph parts grew rapidly, necessitating several trips to the “works”.

#056 - 1956 - Tour of Ireland

2008-03-12T13:53:00.001Z

In 1956 I was asked manage a local NCU team on the “Tour of Ireland” I was able to accept as now - with business prospering - we had set on a salesman, Roy Pidcock, he was a trial and grass rider and we had helped in a few events. (Roy would stay with us until July 1971 when he left to start up on his own at Friary Autos on The Spot in Derby, he worked very hard eventually becoming Roy Pidcock Motorcycles which now have shops in Nottingham, Derby and Long Eaton, he unfortunately suffered a serious heart attack and died in 1999. Roy’s son now runs the three shops).

The team was

Stuart McWhirter,
Pete Edgehill, (Beeston R.C.)
Bren Thorpe and
a lad from Mansfield whose name alludes me,

Dave Shaw came as mechanic. I cannot remember much about this tour except I was on a 500cc Triumph with alloy engine and rear sprung hub, but I do remember that a few days into the race, there was an all mighty “tip up” which resulted in Stuart McWhirter breaking his arm and Frank Garvey of Manchester Velo breaking a leg. We made arrangements to get Stuart back to Dublin and then we had to leave him in Athlone hospital. We also assisted Frank - his team manager had left him to his own devices.

Also on the Cork stage, the NCU rang the Irish Cycle Union to say that Brian Haskell of Huddersfield R.C. had not got a NCU Overseas racing licence, and would have to be disqualified. The race had only two days to go and Brian was leading from the Cork rider Karl McCarthy. After dinner in Cork there was a meeting regarding this matter, Brian had a BLRC licence and as far as he and the Irish Cycle Union was concerned this was valid. But much to my disgust Brian was disqualified, 2^nd place Karl McCarthy and several highly placed riders withdrew in protest. A noble but useless gesture.

We carried on but had lost all interest. There was one amusing or rather a serious incident. Dave and I were going up to a breakaway group to find out what lead they had, just before Sligo we saw John Lackey go straight on through Sligo whereas the race route was to bypass the town, John would be about 30secs behind the leaders, the next time we saw him was when he was coming towards this group, turning round in the road and joining in. He finished 1^st.

Many other riders protested and in the Team Managers meeting after the meal, Dave and I gave our report, it appeared that John Lackey came from Sligo and the route he took cut about 3mile from the main route! The Irish officials got together and after loud protests from the Irish team manager, John Lackey was able to keep his first prize but was quite rightly disqualified from the Tour. The Irish team withdrew from the event, the whole thing had gone sour I was glad to get on the boat and get home.

My own racing had almost drawn a close, my future seemingly mapped out looking after a successful business and going on various tours with the England team. In hindsight I can see I was away to often which did not do the business much good, International cycling is like a disease – or an addiction - you cannot leave it alone, and I was to be on various tours for the next 20 years.

#055 - 1955 - Peace Race - Official Duties

2008-03-12T13:39:00.001Z

Resume of each officials job (as I see them).

Mechanic Duties.

Drive and clean the team car, this includes small service jobs. Check fuel and oil (not part of a mechanics duties on the Peace Race but on some events).
Before the start, check over all cycles, tighten all nuts and bolts, brake lever bolts and gear ends. Make sure all wheels are true and interchange with all team bikes including the spare bike.
After the stage, take a verbal list from rider of any mechanical problems he has encountered.
Thoroughly wash bikes especially tyres.

5 When bikes are dry, check all nuts and bolts and true-up wheels, remove wheels to clean, re-adjust q/r mechs if required. Put on stand and try out gears, if front gear changer is catching, try bike on road having a screwdriver at the ready for fine adjustments. Check chain for any tight links.

Clean, oil and polish bike.
In the morning before ‘start’, check tyres for any cuts or abrasions and change tyres if required (this has to be done outside in daylight).
Hand bike to rider to try out.
Do any adjustments they require.
Get the car ready with spares wheels, especially getting q/r ready for quick wheel change.
Make sure spare bike or bikes are OK, especially that tyres are inflated.
Have necessary tools for quick repairs if needed.
When trouble occurs try to remain cool (do not transfer any anxieties to rider)

Masseur.

Arrange rider’s medical, assure blood group recorded.
Clean riders shoes, wash vests and socks; have eye baths, sponge and eau de cologne ready after stage, have a new vest ready if rider wins stage. Do complete body massage from toe to head, (usually on Peace Race three before meal and three after), tend to any medical problems, if serious alert Race Doctor.
Have spare crash helmet in car.
Make sure riders have packed their bags and slid them in special sack provided, before they go to bed and leave outside door (very important on

Peace Race)

Do light massage in morning, and make sure rider takes both early breakfast and light lunch before stage.
Prepare race food and drinks for rider to carry. If feeding station on a long stage, prepare feeding bags and have one extra in case some rider misses out. If raining make sure legs are massaged lightly with iodine oil.
Make sure you do not miss Team Coach which takes you to next stage town (Unless you are travelling in Team Car) When stage town is reached make sure riders baggage is in their room, check room numbers and put up a list in Foyer so rider knows which room he is in.
Usually rooms are for two riders do rota to move riders around.
Make sure you are at the finish of stage getting riders track suit bags from the team car so rider can don his Track suit and slippers.
Collect washable items (Laundry on Peace Race).
Go back to Hotel with early riders so massaging can be started after showers

Team Managers

Make sure that officials picked by racing committee are capable of doing job allocated.
Write to each rider advising what to take with them.
Try and get a meeting together of riders and officials so to have ideas and form of riders and officials.
Before race check menu’s for the next fortnight, with riders and other officials of the team. (essential on the Peace Race)
Work out with all, the distribution of prize money won, discuss with riders the report you may send to BCF after the race, so that if a rider sacrifices himself for another this is accurately reported.
Hopefully have a basic knowledge of mechanics and massage in case of emergency.
Liase with masseur or even give help in the washing and preparing of bottles and race food, make sure you have Milton to thoroughly clean bottles, make sure you have good supply of bottles (supplied on Peace Race).
Make sure spare crash hat is in car.
Collect all riders bags (containing Track Suits and slippers).
Try and keep moral of riders high and discuss tactics with them.
Attend promptly to all Team Manager meetings and quickly give any information to riders and other officials.
Although some socialising is necessary with other managers or officials, keep to a minimum, as it does not make for good moral in the team.
Make sure you rehearse your ‘bike change drill’ , this is very important.
Make sure you give riders instructions as to which side of the road you are to hand up food, leaving one official at the far end of zone with an emergency bag.
Co-ordinate all official jobs make sure they are doing their job smoothly.

#054 - 1955 - Peace Race - Finish

2008-03-12T13:12:00.002Z

After a day or two in Warsaw where we were entertained by the British Embassy, we packed all our bags and bikes and early one morning we were coached to the Airport, we were surprised to see we were travelling on the same MK1 Dakota made under licence in Russia. No luggage was weighed and as well as us there were the Belgians and French and all the souvenirs and prizes we had won. The plane tried to take off on the concrete runway but could not make it. The pilot then took the plane to a far corner and, bumping on the grass to get up and over the runway, finally managed to take off. On landing at Berlin a tyre burst, good job we had stopped, we were in the Airport about an hour before we left for Brussels, everyone on the plane was scared stiff. Two of our team who were in the RAF were airsick!! We left Brussels on a Sabena aircraft it seemed like heaven.

Arriving at London we had hell of a job with the customs owing to our having the gold wrist watches, luckily about a week before Wolverhampton Football Club were in from Moscow where they had been given similar gold watches but which had been impounded by customs. This matter had been raised in Parliament and the team had been allowed their watches. We announced this precedent and after much wrangling we were allowed to keep ours. I had swapped a Campag front and rear for a new Praktica single lens reflex camera fitted with F2 lens Ziess. No one had seen one of these in England and I had a job to understand it. We also had Zorki and Fed cameras, these were copies of the famous 35mm Leica , made under licence in Russia.

My personal observations of this race were - On the better side I had made umpteen friends but how hard it was on the mechanics, in fact I vowed not to go on it again. How we had to have two hammers to knock the dents out of rims as the roads in parts were made from seabed boulders, this road was especially bad in Poland just before the stadium finish, the Germans called these roads cat head shape boulders. A pal of mine Derek Robinson (we were on the ill fated “Tour of Eire” together) made a tool to make oval wheels round again, it was like a micrometer and was really efficient. He later also made me a bike stand that fitted on top of my toolbox, it was so good that Eddy Merck’s mechanic wanted to buy it – the reason being that our toolbox was totally portable and with it’s collapsible stand could go in our team car boot, (I still have it!) but their large stand and box had to be sent on the night before.

After we had been back in England a few weeks the NCU sent me an invite to go as Team Manager to the “Tour of Nine Provinces” in Belgium, but with such a back log of work in the shop to catch up with I had to refuse. 12 years was to pass before I was asked to manage a Team again - this was to be the 1967 “Circuit Sarthe” in France. This is quite another eventful story which will appear shortly.

#053 - 1955 - Peace Rest - Rest Day 2 and Stage 10 - 13

2008-03-12T13:06:00.002Z

The next day was a ‘Rest Day’, Luton Town was playing DDR and in the afternoon we were invited to the match and meet the team, I went alone as no one else was interested. (That same year Luton was in the Cup Final losing against Nottingham Forest at Wembley). The next day some mail had arrived from England for the Luton team but they had already left for England, the mail was handed to me for delivery. I posted this mail to Luton when I got home, receiving a thank you letter from the Chairman.

In the morning the team were invited to a brewery making vodka, the office staff again making a fuss of us, and they gave us each a bottle of slivowitz and other presents.

Stage 10 – Zgorzellex – Breslau (Wroclaw) 174km

We were taken by coaches to the start at Zgorelex. We were appalled at the lower living standard in Poland, but they had to live frugally as their government had refused “Marshall Aid” and they were having to rely on the Russians to bolster their economy.. An attack was instigated by the French, Czechs and Germans, Veseley Schur and Van Louveren being the first three, Stan and Owen losing 2mins on this breakaway group. Race leader now being Schur from Vesely at 1min 21sec, with Stan still 3^rd at 6min 01sec. Considering our depleted team Stan and Owen were riding very well.

The Russians had occupied Breslau at the latter end of the war and even 10 years later there were no stoppers in the sinks or baths, Breslau was very badly damaged as Hitler had made it a fortress, it was bypassed by the Russians taking weeks before it surrendered.

Whilst having dinner at Breslau an opera singer came to see me saying he had relations in Long Eaton, unbelievably this relation was none other than Tadeux who worked for me as a motorcycle mechanic; originally from Lvow (which is now in Russia), he with a number of other Poles had escaped through Romania to Iran and then flown to Scotland where they were enlisted in the RAF. He came to work for me in 1948, the opera singer was overjoyed, he gave me further news of my mechanics family which was passed on to Tadeux on my return to England. The opera singer had bought tickets for that evenings performance and it was a great shame that we could not go as the Opera house in Breslau is quite famous, but we could not be spared - the race being to important.

Stage 11 - Breslau to Stalinograd (Katowice) 200km

this went through all the coalmining and heavy industrial belt, the riders were black with soot and so were we in the open car. A small group of riders down on general classification, broke away with Van dan Daile (Belgium) from Geogief (Bulgaria) with Nyman (Finland) 3^rd. Schhur lead the race with Yan Vesely 2^nd at 1min 31secs with

Stan still 3^rd at 6min 11secs. The riders finished on a banked cinder track. The people of Katowice were building a new stadium and I was to go back there in 1967 to find it finished, a park laid with overhead railway and lovely laid out gardens. The stadium was as good as Wembley (Manchester United had played there earlier that year in the European Cup).

During the stage Kapitanow of Russia had been away on his own for miles but when we caught up with him he was off his bike and he packed because he was frozen and black as night with the coal dust and Cupola dust. (Kapitanow was to win gold in Rome in 1960)

Stage 12 - Stalinograd – Lodz 205km

The Germans again combined with the French and Poles to attack Stan and Vesely Schur won the stage from Klich (Czech) with the Pole Krolak 3^rd. Jan Vesely still retained 2^nd place but lost 5mins. Stan lost his 3^rd place to Amell (Sweden) by 1 second. Owen was 20^th on general. We stayed in good accommodation in Lodz, the rooms where we stayed had balconies and our rooms faced the front, there were thousands of people outside all chanting for the English riders especially Stan. It was if we were royalty and absolutely unbelievable.

Stage 13 Lodz – Warsaw 130km.

The last stage - the Belgians combined with the Czechs to form a small break, this finished about 3mins on the main group which contained the leaders, Stan managed to finish a few seconds in front of the Swede Amell, and this gave Stan his super 3^rd place overhaul, Owen also gained a place finishing a creditable 19^th place.

The finish was held at the big football stadium near the river, there must have been well over a hundred thousand people there. Our stay was in the largest Hotel in Warsaw i.e. Hotel Warszawa. I was able to go for a ride with the team to sightsee in Warsaw, Stan asked a Polish chap to take a photo of us outside of the Russian built magnificent Palace of Culture with Stan’s “Brownie” box camera and did this fellow laugh! we also found an International Press Office where we were able to obtain press photographs of our participation in the Peace Race.

#052 - 1955 - Peace Race - Stage 5 - 9

2008-03-12T13:03:00.004Z

Stage 5 - Karlovy Vary to Dresden 175km,

We performed well on this stage winning the team award being only 9secs behind Bulgaria. Stan still held the “jersey” from Verhelst of Belge and 3min 09sec with Yan Vesely Czech 3^rd at 3min31sec with Schur close up 4^th & 3min42secs. Some miles before the finish at Dresden the weather changed very cold and raining , this added to the misery of miles of damage carried out by allied air forces in Feb 1942 and made us feel very depressed, coupled with the fact that Ray Booty and fallen heavily in the lager city of Zwickau, and in Dresden with muddied spectacles, he came off no less than 5 times in the tram lines.

The only building that did not seem to be damaged was our hotel. Bill Shilibeer our masseur issued us with vitamin pills every day , Bill Baty was not a believer in these and I remember him in Dresden - when I entered his and John Pound room to hear of any bike complaints, he had lined these pills on the outside window sill and was flicking them in to the street below saying after every flick, “This is doing me the world of good”, later on after dinner I entered their room again and he was lowering a quarter pound bar of Cadburys milk chocolate on to the street below, just as some kids appeared to pick it up he pulled the cord, he did however give the kids this chocolate in the end. We all realised that chocolate, oranges and bananas were in short supply at this particular time in Dresden.

Stage 6 - Dresden to Karl –Marx-Stadt (now Chemnitz) 103km

An early attack was instigated by Schur and the Belgians, this was neutralised by Stan and Owen - the team being sadly depleted with the loss of Ray Booty and Ron Jowers. John Pound and Bill Baty were gallant in their efforts but both were well off the back. Stan still had the yellow jersey having 2min 44sec on the Belgian Verhelst, 3^rd being Jan Veseley of the Czech Republic with 3min 06secs and Schur was 4^th at 3min 17secs,

Stage 7 - Karl-Marx-Stadt to Leipzig 206km

saw our depleted team attacked by a combine of teams i.e. D.D.R with Schur, the Belgians with Verhelst and also the Russians made their belated attack with Werscinin, Stan lost the yellow jersey which he had held for four days. The rest day was held in Leipzig, all I remember of that was the training run in the afternoon. A visit to a camera manufacturer was held in the morning where we were well entertained by the office staff, we also received presents of gold wrist watches and Ziess opera glasses (we were to subsequently have trouble with the English customs as will be told later).

Stage 8 - Leipzig to the capital Berlin. 200km

The crowds to see this stage were just unbelievable, on the corners going through Potsdam. Russian soldiers were sitting on the kerb, our German driver almost running over their toes and he laughed his head off at this antic. Owen Blower and Stan Brittain were in the leading group of eight going down Stalin Alee which had me standing on the back seat of our open car feeling proud as a peacock. The Germans had three riders in the break so they worked our lads over Funda (DDR) winning the event. Schur, although he was not in the leading group became race leader having 4min 18secs on second place Stan Brittain, Owen also moved up on general classification. Our German driver Fritz got in to terrible trouble with the race top brass, he had driven right round the stadium at the back of the main group, but for us in the car it was terrific. the cheers for us sending ripples up our backs, 100,000 was the crowd which included the government with the Premier Gottwaldoff. The accommodation in Berlin was in a school very basic, we always seemed to have bad accommodation after 200km stages .

Stage 9 – Berlin - Cottbus 126km

a shorter stage took us towards Poland, the Czech team had attacked with the Poles and Russians which gave Jan Veseley 2^nd place behind the winner Tave Schur at 1min 51secs - Stan was still 3^rd at 4min 18secs. Owen was riding well as were John and Bill.

After a meal in Cottbus we walked across to Poland, border guards and custom officers were bristling with guns, barbed wire seemed everywhere. The border split a large town the border being a bridge over the Oder, so much for the Potsdam agreement, one could see Atlee, Roosevelt and Stalin looking at a map and coming up with this mad idea of the Oder Niesse rivers marking the border between Germany and Poland. How the split population must have suffered. The name of the same town in Poland was called Gorlitz. I cannot remember much about Gorlitz apart from the fact I now had only four bikes to service.

#051 - 1955 - Peace Race - Rest Day 1

2008-03-12T12:58:00.001Z

Next day was rest day and the team were invited to the famous crystal factory in Karlovey Vary, I stayed at the hotel to do the bikes ready for the team to go out training in the afternoon. Whist I was going down the big marble staircase on the red carpet, two Russians were coming towards me, when they were level with me they parted grabbing me under the elbows and carried me back up the two flights of stairs, turned left at the top undid a bedroom door and flung me in a chair. These were the first Russians I had had the pleasure of meeting and with all the wrong stories that were going about then, I was a little apprehensive to say the least, however I remained calm.

The small fat Russian (who I learned later was the masseur) produced a big wood crate which was supposedly a container for bike spares, he bashed the crate open and low and behold it contained Vodka, the Russians and another mechanic by the name of Sevette, produced half pint glasses which he filled to the brim, pushing one in to my hand, I thought I had better drink the vodka at one gulp, I did whereupon the Russians clapped me on the back and stuffed half a lemon in my mouth.

These two Russians were to be my mates for ever after, meeting up with them in races all over the world. I stayed with them for about an hour, how I managed to do the bikes I will never know, I was on automatic pilot. The team went out in the afternoon, it was a lovely day and the scenery was marvellous. We had made a real friend of our German driver - a policeman living in Frankfurt on Oder, he was a real part of our team, Stan Brittain giving him a share of the prizes in Warsaw. When the team got back from the Crystal Factory they give me my present, a marvellous vase which was the same as the stage winners were presented with. On the Peace Race, factories sponsor a team and the rider who is first on general class gets the ‘best’ factory.

#050 - 1955 - Peace Race - Stage 1 - 5

2008-03-12T12:50:00.004Z

Stage 1 - Circuit of Prague 120 km

On this first stage i.e. circuit of Prague, Stan Brittain finished 2^nd just beaten by a Belgian rider Boeke, and with a rider we would hear much more about – one Gustaf Adolf Schur 3^rd. The rest of the team finished in the main group.

Stage 2 – Prague - Brno 175km

Stan won two early primes, then Bill Baty on going over a level crossing smashed his rear wheel, I gave him a spare bike which must have been Ray Booty’s because Bill always related later that he had to ride thro the frame because the saddle was to high. Clearly Bill had an unsuitable bike, and I quickly put a new wheel in his bike and as soon as possible swapped bikes again. I was learning the hard way, ( I tried everyone on the spare bikes later that night ensuring which bike would suit them if and when the occasion arose). The second stage was won by that tall Czech Kubr, from Verhelst (Belgian) and third was a rider we were get to know in future tours Christoff of Bulgaria, Stan was 3^rd on general classification. By the second night I had got my act together and had worked out a routine on the bikes, this routine I carried out the same for the next 13 years as a mechanic.

Stage 3 - Brno to Tabor 175km.

Stan with Ray Booty, Owen Blower and big Ron Jowers finished in a small group containing the race leader, John Pound and Bill Baty had missed the break. Stan was leading the race from Jan Veseley of the Czech Republic & with Tshischikow of the Soviet Union at 2min 54secs. My routine for the bike was going O.K we had no mechanical trouble and no punctures

Stage 4 - Tabor to Karlovey Vary 215km.

Stan Brittain, Owen Blower, Ray Booty and Ron Jowers rode well even though Ron packed up through a gross error by our team manager (Arthur Spurgin or “Bruno” as he was nicknamed) Ron had been detailed to go with the first break and he carried out his instruction to the letter, this break had 9 minutes at one time, I suggested to Bruno that we should go and have look at Ron, leaving the Dutch team manager Brum Koopman to look after Stan, Owen and Ray, (Bill Baty and John Pound were further back with the Indians). It would be about twenty mile to go before “Bruno” decided to check up on Ron, and we had a job with the commisaire who wouldn’t allow us to go past the main group. (“Bruno” had upset him day before). We found Ron in a dry ditch – he had ‘packed’ and was waiting to be picked up. He was still 3 – 4 minutes up on the main group, and no advice or encouragement from me would get him back on his bike. One of his problems was that the food handed up to him at the feeding station did not suit him, he had strong likes and dislikes and we had his special food with us in the car, which we hadn’t been able to get to him at the appropriate time. This rider packing was a big blow to us, Ron was a good rider, all he required was a bit of psychology but “Bruno” was beyond such technique. Stan, Owen and Ray finished in the leading group which unusually was an open road sprint, most other finishes being on cinder tracks.

Karlover Vary is a beautiful place, our accommodation was in the Hotel Moscow Pupp where earlier this century King Edward V11 had stayed with the Kaiser. The bedrooms were real luxury with marvellous ceilings and the baths had gold taps. In the large dining room a 100 piece orchestra was playing Glen Miller music, it really was magic. Earlier in the day a Rumanian rider had broken his gear cable. His team car was far ahead, so we lent him our spare bike, and I leaned over the back of our car and fitted a new cable then, racing ahead, gave the Rumanian his bike back. Little did I know that the race authorities gave a special prize to the mechanic who helped another team and I proudly won a piano accordion and a vase, plus being presented with a bronze medal and accompanying certificate. Stan was still holding the yellow jersey by 1min11secs from the Czech rider Krivka with Vesely 3^rd at 1min32secs from Schur 4^th & 2min58secs.

#049 - 1955 - Peace Race - Start

2008-03-12T12:41:00.004Z

The teams had a ceremonial start at a large stadium in Prague. Each team riding one lap with a motorcyclist leading them out with their national flag. The neutralised start was in the stadium, then the start proper came on the outskirts of Prague. Team cars paraded in Country order so our team being Angelski as we were known in Polish were number one, this is a good place to be on the first day because if any rider has trouble you are right with them. (I protested to the B.C.F racing committee when they changed the name to Great Britain in 1959 as this meant our team car would be well down the field.)

The cars were D.D.R police open tourers with an engine as in a SAAB i.e. 3 cylinder two strokes, special racks were fitted to the rear of these cars which held three bikes, all standing upright with a special “quick release mechanism” to remove the bike, I thought they were excellent. On the first stage we had an uneventful day, Stan Brittain finishing second, Owen Blower was just off the leading group, our car leading him down St Wencelas Square where the crowds were at least six deep. I stood on the back seat, clapped then pointed to Owen. The response from the crowd was electric.

The race finished in the stadium and - unique in the Peace Races - each rider had a young student, with the riders number on his back, waiting for him ready to cover the rider with a blanket, also handing his personal bag containing shower kit, slippers and track suit. These students then escorted the rider to the showers, then on to a coach and finally seeing the rider to his hotel room, not leaving him until he was safely ‘delivered’, another excellent idea. These students also made sure that the riders bike was taken to the mechanics special room where all the mechanics tools and equipment had been delivered by separate lorry.

After massage it was time for dinner. Stan suggested that we change in to flannels and blazers etc. we certainly put on a show. Being race mechanic, I spoke to each of my team and asked if they had any anxieties/worries with their bikes and then I also got changed for dinner. This I very soon discovered was a mistake, as when I returned to the mechanics room I found all the other technicians well in front of me, they had a certain routine which was to be the pattern every night – and it didn’t include joining the riders for dinner!.

I tightened every nut and bolt on the bikes having seen the road surfaces, Stan had had trouble with his front changer, it was a Simplex with a Cyclo handlebar end control, I worked on this for hours finally having to remove all the tape from the bars and then found the cable outer to be all kinked, so the inner cable would not change down. Being new on the job I was in hell of a state having had very little if any sleep, I was sharing a room with Bill Shilibeer but I did not see him.

Next morning and ½ hour before the start, the Belgian mechanic who was in the next room came in to me (he had been the mechanic for Sylvere Maes in the previous Tour de France) He tut-tutted that I had not cleaned the bikes, there was no time for me to put this right and I was to hang my head in shame when our bikes were the dirtiest on the start line. I had spent best part of the night making sure that nothing fell off and that the tyres were O.K. (Dunlop Rubber Company had supplied us with 40 x No. 5 road cotton tyres, we were hopping mad when we found the Russians on silk No. 4’s which had been obtained from the England (Melbourne) Olympics Team manager – we speculated how this came about!).

#048 - 1955 - Peace Race - Part 2

2008-03-12T12:33:00.004Z

We had two days training before the start of the Peace Race, well three days really as on May 1^st we all attended the May Day parade, I had done all the bikes over as soon as we arrived, making wheels interchangeable was the hardest part, hub and freewheel spacers being the biggest job. On our second day the team prepared to go out training,

“Why don’t you come with us, we are only going for a steady ride” I was asked. Like a fool I borrowed a tracksuit from that stylist peddler Ron Jowers, got the spare bike out and off we went. I was off the back after the first hill and we were still in Prague. Previously we had arranged to meet on the main road east should anyone get dropped and turn at Lidice. I struggled on my own, in the distance I could see the rest of the team who had halted at a plaque on the side of the road. As I came up to the group Ray Booty shouted –

“That’s for putting me in the tennis courts at Long Eaton Sports 6 years ago!”, he has a memory like an elephant. The plaque they had stopped at was to state that this was the furthest General Patton had got to before he was stopped by Eisenhower; Prague was freed by General Vlassow’s Army, political lunacy. There I go again, right off the subject.

We were riding then in 1955 for Anglettere so our numbers were 1 to 6. The team was:

1. Stan Brittain

2. Owen Blower

3. Ray Booty

4. Ron Jowers

5. Johnny Pound

6. Bill Baty

Stan Brittain came a day later than us due to difficulties getting a Czech visa the authorities thinking his name was propaganda. After the training spin the riders had a massage with Bill Shilliber, no such luxury for me - I fell in the bike room then sorted out whatever problems there were.

The following day was May 1^st. we were taken by coach to St Wencelas Square then into an office on the 3^rd floor where we had a super view of the parade, after the military it became more peaceful, we were there at 8 a.m. and it went on all day - must have stretched miles, contrary to all opinion at that time, we were allowed to go as we pleased and we had a super time. After the parade, medical examinations were carried out, checking heartbeats (Ray Booties heart being the slowest at 45bpm) Blood group was also taken and a gold wrist band supplied with the group engraved, good idea really.

Back at the hotel we had a team talk. On a free ride with the team was the President of the N.C.U. Mr Taylor, presidents of most entered countries were there as this was the first Peace Race under the auspices of the Union Cycliste International. The team had originally been picked by the British League of Racing Cyclists (B.L.R.C) Ron Jowers being the only “league” man there. At the evening meal a rather amusing incident occurred, Ron Jowers had bought with him a bag of special tea. He asked our waiter, using sign language, if he would make him a cup of this special, the waiter eventually came back with three massive jugs full, he had used all the tea which Ron had bought for the whole trip, I have never seen any one so mad, the rest of the team were paralytic with laughter.

The morning after our training session we were invited to a training camp for athletes and we were very honoured to meet Emile Zatopek, the double Olympic gold medal winner at London and Helsinki. He was a good ambassador and showed us all the modern training equipment, he also presented us with Dukla Prague sacks, just right for track suit and slippers.

The night prior to the first stage we were provided with large luggage bags that held our suitcase, this was to prevent any damage. They had to be packed the night before any stage apart from rest days of course, these were labelled with the owners code number and were collected early in the morning and taken by lorry to the next stage and were in your hotel room when you reached there.

Also appointed by the organisers were interpreters, our manager had these running round like the proverbial “flea in a fit” and I was embarrassed. Each country i.e. CZ, DDR and Polska allocated an interpreter to each team and I am quite sure they were very sad to leave the teams at each border point. Some of the interpreters became real friends - especially those who we were to meet up with each year. On arrival in their country they would take over the total care of ‘their’ team, always asking of the whereabouts of riders from previous years - Ian Steel, Bobby Thom, Percy Stallard, Joe Christianson, Frank Garvey, Ian Greenfield, Ted Gerrard and Ted Jones, Ken Jowett, Johnny Welsh, the Liverpool Mercury clown Kenny Hill, Albert Hitchin, Ted Jones, Alfie Newman, Peter Proctor, Les Scales, Norman Shiel, Tiny Thomas, and Johnny Welsh.

#047 - 1955 - Peace Race - Part 1

2008-03-12T12:16:00.003Z

1955 saw me receive an invitation from Arthur Spurgin (Chairman of the N.C.U racing committee who I had met on the Tour of Eire), to go as mechanic to the great East European classic the Prague-Berlin-Warsaw event. The challenge to go was overwhelming but I had trouble with my brother as I would be away from the business from April 30^th to May 18^th .

I was a real novice for an event of this magnitude, on one of my Birmingham trips I visited the Cyclo Gear Company of Aston, two of their mechanics had been on this race some three years previous. On our first meeting they told me on no account to go, “the roads are non existent in parts and the work is horrendous” I was warned, this made me very apprehensive. However when they learned that I had accepted the challenge they gave me a toolbox with special tools for their “Benelux” gears, and a pal of mine an engineer by the name of Jim Jelly, made me a truing stand for wheels which fitted on top of the tool box, so I thought we were all set, I was still bodily fit and was training most mornings at 7am with Dave Booth ( I did not know then that I would not race again due to the time being taken up by trips abroad).

East German, Polish and Czech visa’s were obtained and I set forth first by train to London, and then by taxi with all the equipment plus a spare bike, to the NCU headquarters, where we met the rest of the team. I knew most of the boys having recently ridden in Eire against them, and Ray Booty came from my area. I had a look at the teams bikes and saw that I had not got many spares to cover any eventualities, so I visited Messrs Holdsworthy Factoring Company in Annersley, near Crystal Palace, and bought - at my own expense - a load of gear. We then checked in at London Air terminal and then by coach to Heathrow where we caught a “Sabena” plane to Brussels.

I was seated next to Owen Blower and he said “this our first trip with a England Team and it is up to us to do a good job in our relative spheres". We vowed we would to the best of our ability, little knowing the consequences.

We checked our luggage off at Brussels then sat down on a form outside (the weather being marvellous). Sitting with us was Barbara Lyons daughter, (Ben and Barbara Lyon were well known for their B.B.C. radio programme “Life with the Lyons”), we chatted to her and found she was going to her first singing contract with Radio Luxembourg. We told her where we were heading for and she said

“Your are not going on that are you?” pointing to the far left corner of the Airport to an early Dakota MK1 with Polska Airways written on the side and lace curtains in the windows.

“No” we all chorused “we’ll be going on something better than that”.

How wrong we were, this was our aeroplane and some hours later we were on it, we had no seat belts and the “air hostess” dozed off, I do not know how high we flew but we had a lovely view of the ground, we landed at East Berlin and you could feel the different environment we were in. We took off later from there landing safely at Prague.

The airport compared with Brussels and London seemed dead. Apart from some military planes in the far corner, that’s all there was. We checked the bikes and luggage then found customs wanted to look at everything (what had we come to we thought). A coach eventually arrived and we were put in a very nice clean hotel called the Atlantic. The accommodation was good and surprise, surprise there was a separate hotel room for the bikes, we could not get over our wheeling bikes on red carpets and in to lifts. Unheard of in England.

#046 - 1954 - Tour of Ireland - Part 5

2008-03-12T11:33:00.001Z

On arrival at the finish in Waterford we heard that out of the 140 starters who had left Cork earlier that day only 18 had finished, one Irish lad had thrown his bike over a cliff, we saw riders huddled together with sack bags around them to keep warm whilst waiting for the “Sag” wagon or any other transport that would pick them up.

After the evening meal and a truly appalling day, I got drunk on Irish whiskey, came the next morning and I was very ill - in fact I came to Dublin in the race ambulance. The race was now down to 15 starters, the weather turned to snow and icy cold rain. The race officials decided to neutralise the event until a few miles from the centre of Dublin, whereupon the riders could remove all their waterproof gear and then put on a spectacle for the very large crowd to see the finish. There was a picture in “Cycling” the following Wednesday depicting the “sag” wagon festooned with dozens of bikes hanging from everywhere. (I was to go on a race in Algeria in the future which had similar weather conditions). My trusty Ariel had been driven back to Dublin by an Irishman who I never met, I knew it was on the race because I had heard the lovely engine note of its 498cc motor.

The result of the first 5 of this Tour Eire was:

1^st - Bernard Pusey whose ride in this gave him an entry to the new Hercules team to ride in the Tour de France, under Syd Couzins as manager,

2^nd - Shay Eliott who won as his prize a stay at the famous Simplex training camp which lead to a place in a French team and which subsequently also lead him to a ride in the Tour de France,

3^rd - Karl McCarthy of Cork C.C. a real stylist

4^th - Irishman Paddy Boyd of Dublin.

5^th - Tony Hoar who was to be in the 1955 “Tour de France.

A tearful reception was seen at Mrs Ryan’s, our second home, she looked after us as good as her own family. Bren’s future wife Janet had come over to placate him and us. Bill, Bren and Janet left on the night boat. Fred and I stayed a further day to pull our shattered nerves together.

The shops were very busy that year, motorcycles were becoming a little easier to buy as were scooters. We were still having a “Birmingham-Coventry” and “London” van days increasingly selling more parts. Staff also had to be adjusted, we lost our Polish motor cycle mechanic Ted, and also our veteran cycle mechanic and wheel builder Les Senesall. In their place we had electrician Les Thompson in the shop, he was with us some years before he acquired a “pub” on Cockpit Hill, Derby. On the demolition of all the Cockpit Hill area Les returned to us and was sent to our College Street shop with Ruben Hutchings. We also set on twin brothers Robert & Roger Sanford. Robert being at Tamworth Road and Roger at College Street, I took over cycle wheel building eventually going on to alloy motorcycle and M.G. wheels.

As regards cycle racing I did manage to win three of our club track events, these were the last events I would take part in. We did a storming trade in cycles for Christmas that year, having a great time delivering these, playing Santa Claus, no drink driving laws then so we had a drink at most houses where we were delivering to – not surprisingly we were almost drunk when eventually reaching home.

#045 - 1954 - Tour of Ireland - Part 4

2008-03-12T11:30:00.001Z

The team decided to start the next day as we remarked that would be what Dennis would have wanted. The strange thing was that our remaining three had packed a black vest in their kit and they rode in these. As Derek and I stopped behind to meet Dennis parents, all the other team managers promised Derek and I that they would give every assistance to our team. We met Dennis parents at Cobh station.

Mr & Mrs Weston had quite a story to tell us, the police in Long Eaton helped them with their heartfelt sympathy, arranging all travel details and custom formalities, on the station at Long Eaton two Irish girls by the name of Daly who lived in Nelson Street, were going home to Dublin for two weeks holiday. They befriended the Weston’s, seeing them safe on the boat at Holyhead and also buying them berth tickets to enable them an easy crossing. On arrival at Dun Laughire, the sisters escorted the Weston’s to Dublin, then bought them tickets to Cork and accompanied them both down to Cork, they were real good Samaritans. The Irish Cycling officials were also first class, looking after all hotel and all funeral expenses.

After about half an hour with the Weston’s we bid a very emotional farewell as we had to catch up with “Tour”. Earlier before the start the weather had changed from summer style to just above freezing. One Irish rider had been taken to hospital and advised to stay overnight for suspected sun stroke. He discharged himself to carry on in the race, then on this particular day he was sent to Dublin hospital and admitted with exposure! We had given our spare jerseys to our three riders, leaving us with just our “Barbour” suits - we were so cold, we had to stop at Kilkenny for a rum apiece! At the bar stood an Irish farmer and before we could get to the counter he had bought us two double rums, he refused all payment saying he had never seen anyone so blue in all his born days. We had two more rums before our chase began.

We began to come across team cars loaded with riders who had succumbed to the cold conditions, in one car was our three, they said that they were sorry they had to give up, but not having any gloves they could not apply their brakes. We left them to see who was left in the race, we caught the first small group who wanted a time check on the leaders. We went off to catch the leading group who had 6 minutes on them. We clicked the stop watch then stopped at the end of a farm drive where a small family were awaiting the race, we told them the news. We noticed that the lady in this group kept going back to the farmhouse. I thought she must be fed up of waiting for the rest of the race to go by, but after a few minutes she returned with a tray with coffee and fruit cake for us two Englishmen. What a super gesture, these Irish people are the salt of the earth.

#044 - 1954 - Tour of Ireland - Part 3

2008-03-12T11:27:00.002Z

The 4^th stage took us on the long scenic stage to Killarney, going via Oranmore, Kinvarre to the cliffs of Mohir (pity we could not stop there as these cliffs are the highest in Europe). Then on to Ennis across the Shannon and so on to Limerick, on to Newcastle West, Abbeyfield, Castle Island to finish in beautiful Killarney. In all these towns we encountered large crowds all truly hyped up to see the race, we had good accommodation in Killarney, the communial dinner in the town hall being 1^st class. In the evening Derek and I helped the mechanics, we were both awake at 5am the next morning - we had planned to go round the lakes before breakfast, the weather still being top class. We arrived back at the hotel well in time to join the team for a large breakfast, we were concerned that Dennis Weston had complained of being ill, I administered milk of magnesia and after about 20 minutes he said he felt better. At the “team talk” prior to the race Bill Henshaw as captain, announced they were ready to attack the current leaders, we cautioned Dennis to take his time up Tunnel Gap and at the summit if Dennis was not going well, we would fetch Bren Thorpe back to hopefully re-catch the main group.

The weather and scenery was so good that a pact was reached by every one in the field to “sight-see” as we passed the lakes and start the stage at the foot of Tunnel Gap towards Kenmare. This worked well for us, Dennis only falling back just prior to the summit. On the descent we fetched Bren back to pace Dennis back to the bunch, the descent was quite “hairy” but Dennis and Bren started to overhaul another small group, we on the motorbike telling Dennis not to work, and he took notice of us, so far so good. At the bottom of this descent the Aspro ambulance was going towards Glengarrif. Outside a pub was a farm horse and cart, and the ambulance tannoy system startled the horse which had not been tethered. It bolted towards the main group, who managed to avert any accident, everybody frightened to death. Meanwhile our two riders in the second group were almost “on” to the leaders. Dennis looked up from his position and saw that they were nearly “on”. He passed all the second group and ran head first into the horse and cart impaling himself on the shafts which killed him outright.

Derek had jumped off the moving motorbike and was cradling the fatally injured lad in his arms. After seeing Dennis into the ambulance, Deryck and I sat on a stone wall completely dazed and overcome, the race had stopped for us at that moment..We had to compose ourselves – we had work to do. Derek and I went to the Post Office at Glengarrif and rang the police at Long Eaton for them to convey the sad news to Mr. And Mrs. Weston. Meanwhile the three other members of our team were still riding well, oblivious to the horror that had happened at Glengarrif. We chased at maximum speed so as we would be able to give them the sickening news in a quite spot, luckily we caught them just before Cork and was able to draw them quietly together, but not before Bill and Fred wanted to know in no certain manner were the hell we had been, because of lack of information they had actually finished 3^rd and 4^th and had Dennis finished with them we would have won the team. A very glum team sat down to dinner where every other team in the event came to us with condolences.

#043 - 1954 - Tour of Ireland - Part 2

2008-03-12T11:23:00.002Z

The first day of the “Tour of Eire" started at 10am from Dublin going via Dundalk to Athlone - quite a long stage, I cannot remember any notable instance, our team finishing in a large leading group.

We had the “Tour de France” Aspro ambulance leading the race, very impressive. Manning this ambulance was a doctor on his first bike race. One of the Scottish riders touched a wheel and came down injuring himself, the doctor took one look at the rider and turned to get his well stocked medical kit , when he turned back to the rider, he had got on his bike but was going the wrong way, we - Derek Robison and I - put him on the right road. The doctor was astonished, we told him when this happened again to do a tempory assessment of the injury then tell the rider to come round after the finish of the stage for any major treatment. As we said to the doctor, a bike rider cannot afford to loose any time, extreme injuries being obviously a different matter.

After the first stage finish a large furniture van tipped all our bags on the market square, we collected these then we had to see the accommodation officer to find out where we were staying. Things are a bit different now with bags in your room all labelled and your accommodation listed in the “race bible”. The evening meal was a comunable affair in Athlone town hall.

The second stage was again a long one, going from Athlone to Sligo to Bunduran. On passing Bulbrennan mountain where Keats is buried, the road is dead straight and slightly down hill, on looking at the speedometer I was astonished to see the bunch was travelling at over 50 mph. Just then a bee hit me in the left eye, so had to stop quickly as could not see out of either eye. I was not wearing helmet or goggles it was such a glorious day and we wanted to get brown (helmets were then not compulsory as now). The stage finished on the seafront at Bundoran in Donegal, it is a lovely place with white sands and only a few hotels (I wonder what it is like now).

We did the usual massage and bike checks etc then the evening meal, during the last two days we had made the acquaintance of the race mechanics “Jimmy and Jack” who owned the Rutland Cycle Co in Dublin. On the race they were general mechanics seemingly doing all repairs for most of the riders except our team. That night we went to see them at their quarters, they had got that many bikes to do we stopped and helped. Although I had a cycle shop of my own I learnt more about racing bikes and quick repair of same then and now. This learning zone was to hold good fortune when I was asked to go to the “Peace race” the following year.

My memory does not allow me to remember any of the stage finishes, some of the riders I do remember are - Johnny Pound, Bill Baty, Stan Brittain, Bernard Pusey, Tony Hoar, Vin Denson, Bob Maitland, “Dickie Bowes, Jack Ryan, ‘Sore bones’ Ford, Shay Elliot, and Willy Long. Having not kept any finishing sheets or a diary my memory is not good, although our team was leading the club competion as apposed to National Teams. Dennis Weston was our leading rider with Bill Henshaw and Fred Gascoigne well up. Stage three took us from Bunduran to Tuam then on to Sligo to finish at Galway. The weather was still perfect, more like midsummer than Spring. Wild pansies and primroses adorned the hedgerows - it was truly marvellous.

#042 - 1954 - Tour of Ireland - Part 1

2008-03-12T11:18:00.002Z

March 1954 saw an invite for us to ride the four day “Tour of Ireland” Tom Crowther our 1953 manager decided not to come this year, after a meeting of local clubs a team was picked lead by Bill Henshaw, Bren Thorpe, Dennis Weston and “Sqeeky” Gascoigne all Long Eaton C.C. with Derek Robinson. as team mechanic, I was to go as manager and managers were on motorcycles not cars. This suited me down to the ground. In the shop, we had a new 500 VH single cylinder Ariel which we had had over 12months, so this was licensed and all import and export forms filled helped by the R.A.C. (not required now apart from a green insurance card). Meanwhile Bill Henshaw had been short listed by Arthur Spurgin ( England team manager) Bill however turned down the invite preferring to stay with the Long Eaton team.

The race started on the Thursday 29^th April 1954. We left Tuesday night Bill took the bikes etc and the three riders whilst Bren Thorpe came pillion with me. We left Long Eaton about seven o’clock going the usual road, we stopped for fish and chips at Bethesda then across Nant Francon pass in to Bangor and so across Telfords bridge and on to Holyhead for the night ferry. As we were crossing the causeway which leads in to Holyhead I felt Bren go all heavy, he had fallen asleep on the back, he was amazed when I awoke him.

We were on the ferry and asleep before midnight arriving at Dun laughaire about 7.30am. We were booked in at our “second home” with Mrs Ryan, breakfast was all ready a full English - or rather Irish - with black pudding. We rode down to Dublin in the afternoon to collect frame and body numbers and start list. I was on the motorcycle and had with me a new pair of wheels that I had built complete with freewheel and tyres, we fitted these on the rear carrier with only three toe straps (very like Mavic do now for mountain stages and/or time trials in the big tours on the continent). Outside the headquarters we found the Scottish team in deep conversation near our Ariel, their manager, who we took an instant dislike to, said ‘you cannot carry them wheels its against the rules’. Where are these rules? we asked, he could not produce any. But the next day before the start of the race he got the commissionaires to get us to remove the tyres as it gave us an unfair advantage. This silly way of going on went on for at least 2 years because in the Peace Race the following year no team was able to fit a wheel complete. If a rider punctured he had to change his own tyres. This rule was changed by U.C.I for 1956.

Previous to the race start on the next day, we had a meeting to discuss tactics, having ridden myself the previous year I did not want any jealousies which had occurred then. For instance talking behind the managers back instead of every grievance being advanced and brought out in the open.

Bill asked “What do you mean by last year” .

“Well Bill” I said “when Eric, Reggie and I were away on the 3^rd day we had given Tom food and drink to be handed up to us but we only saw him once all day, and that was after about 20 miles when we had 9 mins lead on the main group. Tom told us to stop working, although we were the only team by then with three riders up there, we assumed Tom was looking after you and Bren”

“What!” exclaimed Bill “we got nothing from Tom nor any information of how far you three were away and regards the food, he seemed to give it all to Dave Keeler, including the bar of Cadburys Milk (half pound block) we had bought between us”.

As this happened 12 months previously, it was a good example of not bringing things out in the open. After a heated discussion it was decided that no animosity would be held between us and this made us into a good team. I was to use this same discussion in all my future events as manager, mechanic and masseur. Also when we had a motor cycle marshal team and cars drivers I used the same idiom - it worked wonders. Prizes were also another crucial matter. We agreed that all prizes would be shared equally, this meant a rider could sacrifice himself for another or the team, and in the case of national team racing the committee would be informed in the race report so future selection for events would not be jeopardised.